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Morning and afternoon serum cortisol level in patients with post-myocardial infarction depression
Affiliations- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
- Department of Cardiology and Cardiosurgery, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
- First Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
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Abstract
Background: Post-myocardial depression is a highly prevalent condition which worsens the course and prognosis of coronary artery disease. One possible pathogenetic factor is dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, resulting in cortisol profile disturbances. Methods: Thirty seven patients hospitalized due to a first myocardial infarction (MI) were enrolled in this study. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to rate the severity of their depressive symptoms. Morning and afternoon serum cortisol samples were taken on the fifth day of the MI. Results: Depression, defined as BDI ≥ 10, was present in 34.4% of the patients. A statistically significant difference was observed between the mean morning and the evening plasma concentrations in patients with depression compared to the no-depression group: F (1.29) = 5.0405, p = 0.0328. Conclusions: Patients with depressive symptoms directly after MI have a flattened diurnal serum cortisol profile. This is particularly expressed in patients with longer lasting symptoms.
Abstract
Background: Post-myocardial depression is a highly prevalent condition which worsens the course and prognosis of coronary artery disease. One possible pathogenetic factor is dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, resulting in cortisol profile disturbances. Methods: Thirty seven patients hospitalized due to a first myocardial infarction (MI) were enrolled in this study. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to rate the severity of their depressive symptoms. Morning and afternoon serum cortisol samples were taken on the fifth day of the MI. Results: Depression, defined as BDI ≥ 10, was present in 34.4% of the patients. A statistically significant difference was observed between the mean morning and the evening plasma concentrations in patients with depression compared to the no-depression group: F (1.29) = 5.0405, p = 0.0328. Conclusions: Patients with depressive symptoms directly after MI have a flattened diurnal serum cortisol profile. This is particularly expressed in patients with longer lasting symptoms.
Keywords
depression; myocardial infarction; cortisol; hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis
About this articleTitle
Morning and afternoon serum cortisol level in patients with post-myocardial infarction depression
Journal
Issue
Pages
550-554
Published online
2017-10-18
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1781
Article views/downloads
1465
DOI
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
Cardiol J 2019;26(5):550-554.
Keywords
depression
myocardial infarction
cortisol
hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis
Authors
Alina Wilkowska
Andrzej Rynkiewicz
Joanna Wdowczyk
Jerzy Landowski
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