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Plasma cortisol levels in depression and other psychiatric disorders: a study of newly admitted psychiatric patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

M. E. Swigar ,
T. Kolakowska  and
D. M. Quinlan
M. E. Swigar*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
T. Kolakowska
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
D. M. Quinlan
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Mary E. Swigar, 1069 Memorial Unit, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn. 06510, USA.
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Synopsis

Morning and evening plasma cortisol levels were checked in 123 consecutively newly admitted psychiatric patients with a variety of diagnoses. Questions asked were whether there were differences among groups with more severe illness, type of depression, alcohol abuse, or particular symptoms. Morning cortisol elevation was found in 33% of patients and was not associated with any particular diagnostic category. Evening cortisol elevation occurred in 85% of the subjects. It was significantly higher in those with unipolar depression and organic brain syndrome, also in those patients who abused alcohol regardless of diagnosis. Evening cortisol elevation was twice as common in patients with diagnoses of more severe psychiatric illness than in those with minor disorders. Further study is suggested to see if these patterns of cortisol elevation are sustained beyond the stress-of-admission period.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 9 , Issue 3 , August 1979 , pp. 449 - 455
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1979

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