Salivary cortisol as a tool for physiological studies and diagnostic strategies

Salivary cortisol is an index of plasma free cortisol and is obtained by a noninvasive procedure. We have been using salivary cortisol as a tool for physiological and diagnostic studies, among them the emergence of circadian rhythm in preterm and term infants. The salivary cortisol circadian rhythm...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Castro M., Elias P.C.L., Martinelli Jr. C.E., Antonini S.R.R., Santiago L., Moreira A.C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Associação Brasileira de Divulgação Científica 2000-01-01
Series:Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-879X2000001000006
id doaj-2642da71ba194bfbb134229134899d1b
record_format Article
spelling doaj-2642da71ba194bfbb134229134899d1b2020-11-24T23:58:41ZengAssociação Brasileira de Divulgação CientíficaBrazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research0100-879X0034-73102000-01-01331011711175Salivary cortisol as a tool for physiological studies and diagnostic strategiesCastro M.Elias P.C.L.Martinelli Jr. C.E.Antonini S.R.R.Santiago L.Moreira A.C.Salivary cortisol is an index of plasma free cortisol and is obtained by a noninvasive procedure. We have been using salivary cortisol as a tool for physiological and diagnostic studies, among them the emergence of circadian rhythm in preterm and term infants. The salivary cortisol circadian rhythm in term and premature infants was established between 8 and 12 postnatal weeks. In the preterm infants the emergence of circadian rhythm was parallel to the onset of sleep rhythm. We also studied the use of salivary cortisol for screening for Cushing's syndrome (CS) in control and obese outpatients based on circadian rhythm and the overnight 1 mg dexamethasone (DEX) suppression test. Salivary cortisol was suppressed to less than 100 ng/dl after 1 mg DEX in control and obese patients. A single salivary cortisol measurement at 23:00 h and again after 1 mg DEX above the 90th percentile of the obese group values had sensitivity and specificity of 93 and 93% (23:00 h), and 91 and 94% (after DEX), respectively. The sensitivity improved to 100% when we combined both parameters. We also studied 11 CS children and 21 age-matched primary obese children for whom salivary cortisol sensitivity and specificity were 100/95% (23:00 h), and 100/95% (1 mg DEX), respectively. Similar to adults, sensitivity and specificity of 100% were obtained by combining 23:00 h and 1 mg DEX. The measurement of salivary cortisol is a useful tool for physiological studies and for the diagnosis of CS in children and adults on an outpatient basis.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-879X2000001000006salivary cortisolontogenyCushing's syndrome
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Castro M.
Elias P.C.L.
Martinelli Jr. C.E.
Antonini S.R.R.
Santiago L.
Moreira A.C.
spellingShingle Castro M.
Elias P.C.L.
Martinelli Jr. C.E.
Antonini S.R.R.
Santiago L.
Moreira A.C.
Salivary cortisol as a tool for physiological studies and diagnostic strategies
Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research
salivary cortisol
ontogeny
Cushing's syndrome
author_facet Castro M.
Elias P.C.L.
Martinelli Jr. C.E.
Antonini S.R.R.
Santiago L.
Moreira A.C.
author_sort Castro M.
title Salivary cortisol as a tool for physiological studies and diagnostic strategies
title_short Salivary cortisol as a tool for physiological studies and diagnostic strategies
title_full Salivary cortisol as a tool for physiological studies and diagnostic strategies
title_fullStr Salivary cortisol as a tool for physiological studies and diagnostic strategies
title_full_unstemmed Salivary cortisol as a tool for physiological studies and diagnostic strategies
title_sort salivary cortisol as a tool for physiological studies and diagnostic strategies
publisher Associação Brasileira de Divulgação Científica
series Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research
issn 0100-879X
0034-7310
publishDate 2000-01-01
description Salivary cortisol is an index of plasma free cortisol and is obtained by a noninvasive procedure. We have been using salivary cortisol as a tool for physiological and diagnostic studies, among them the emergence of circadian rhythm in preterm and term infants. The salivary cortisol circadian rhythm in term and premature infants was established between 8 and 12 postnatal weeks. In the preterm infants the emergence of circadian rhythm was parallel to the onset of sleep rhythm. We also studied the use of salivary cortisol for screening for Cushing's syndrome (CS) in control and obese outpatients based on circadian rhythm and the overnight 1 mg dexamethasone (DEX) suppression test. Salivary cortisol was suppressed to less than 100 ng/dl after 1 mg DEX in control and obese patients. A single salivary cortisol measurement at 23:00 h and again after 1 mg DEX above the 90th percentile of the obese group values had sensitivity and specificity of 93 and 93% (23:00 h), and 91 and 94% (after DEX), respectively. The sensitivity improved to 100% when we combined both parameters. We also studied 11 CS children and 21 age-matched primary obese children for whom salivary cortisol sensitivity and specificity were 100/95% (23:00 h), and 100/95% (1 mg DEX), respectively. Similar to adults, sensitivity and specificity of 100% were obtained by combining 23:00 h and 1 mg DEX. The measurement of salivary cortisol is a useful tool for physiological studies and for the diagnosis of CS in children and adults on an outpatient basis.
topic salivary cortisol
ontogeny
Cushing's syndrome
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-879X2000001000006
work_keys_str_mv AT castrom salivarycortisolasatoolforphysiologicalstudiesanddiagnosticstrategies
AT eliaspcl salivarycortisolasatoolforphysiologicalstudiesanddiagnosticstrategies
AT martinellijrce salivarycortisolasatoolforphysiologicalstudiesanddiagnosticstrategies
AT antoninisrr salivarycortisolasatoolforphysiologicalstudiesanddiagnosticstrategies
AT santiagol salivarycortisolasatoolforphysiologicalstudiesanddiagnosticstrategies
AT moreiraac salivarycortisolasatoolforphysiologicalstudiesanddiagnosticstrategies
_version_ 1725450308684873728