Serum Cortisol Levels Modifications in Patients with Depression and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Luminita Diana Hritcu,Constantin Spataru,Cristinel Stefanescu,Manuela Padurariu,Mihaela Claudia Spataru,Alin Ciobica,Cristina Horhogea,Liviu Burtan

doi:10.37358/rc.19.9.7554

Abstract

The correlations between depression and stress are quite accepted nowadays, as well as the fact that cortisol levels could also represent fundamental risk factors for major depressive disorder. However, when it comes to the modifications of cortisol levels in depression, the results are controversial. Same goes for the cortisol modifications in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is a functional digestive disorder characterized by a strong biopsychological component, being highly influenced or exacerbated by stressful stimuli. Thus, in the present report we were interested in seeing if there are any serum cortisol levels variations in patients with depression and irritable bowel syndrome, by looking at cortisol modifications in two different groups of patients: a control group with major depression disorder and another study group composed by major depression disorder + IBS patients. Thus, our data presented here are suggesting that there is a significant increase in cortisol levels in the morning serum of the patients with major depression disorder + IBS, as compared to the group having only depression. The results presented here could have an important relevance in the context of managing the stress-related factors in the pathological entities described above.

Highlights

The correlations between depression and stress are quite accepted nowadays, as well as the fact that cortisol levels could represent fundamental risk factors for major depressive disorder
When it comes to the modifications of cortisol levels in depression, the results are very controversial with previous reports describing: increased levels in almost half of depressed patients [4], especially in the morning [5, 6], as cited in [7], decreased levels in depression, for example after very traumatic events [8], in less severely depressed population or non-melancholic or non-psychotic depression [9,10,11,12], as cited in [7]; while other authors described circadian variations and pulsatile secretions modifications in this way, as for example increased levels in the morning and reduced concentrations during the day [7] or even large studies showing increased levels of cortisol in major depressive disorder (MDD) both in the morning and in the evening [13], as cited in [7]
In the present report we were interested in seeing for the first time in our best of knowledge if there are any serum cortisol levels variations in patients with depression and irritable bowel syndrome, by looking at cortisol modifications in two different groups of patients: a control group with major depression disorder and another study group composed by major depression disorder + IBS patients

Summary

Introduction

The correlations between depression and stress are quite accepted nowadays, as well as the fact that cortisol levels could represent fundamental risk factors for major depressive disorder. In the present report we were interested in seeing for the first time in our best of knowledge if there are any serum cortisol levels variations in patients with depression and irritable bowel syndrome, by looking at cortisol modifications in two different groups of patients: a control group with major depression disorder and another study group composed by major depression disorder + IBS patients.

Results

Conclusion