NUTRITIONAL, METABOLIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR CORRELATIONS OF MORNING
                    CORTISOL IN HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN A GASTROENTEROLOGY SERVICE

GUERRA, Aline; SOARES, Rafael Marques; PEZZI, Fernanda; KARKOW, Francisco Juarez; FAINTUCH, Joel

doi:10.1590/S0004-28032015000200003

Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Brasil

Arquivos de Gastroenterologia

Español English

Brasil

Español English

sumário « anterior atual seguinte »

Sumário

Original Articles • Arq. Gastroenterol. 52 (2) • Apr-Jun 2015 • https://doi.org/10.1590/S0004-28032015000200003 copy

NUTRITIONAL, METABOLIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR CORRELATIONS OF MORNING CORTISOL IN HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN A GASTROENTEROLOGY SERVICE

Correlações nutricionais, metabólicas e cardiovasculares do cortisol matutino em profissionais da saúde de um Serviço de Gastroenterologia

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Background

Workplace stress has been associated with obesity. Diminished body weight has also been anticipated in some contexts.

Objective

In a cohort of healthcare personnel, morning cortisol was compared to nutritional and metabolic variables, aiming to identify the correlates of such marker.

Methods

Population n=185, 33.8 ± 9.8 years, 88.1% females, body mass index (BMI) 25.6 ± 4.4 kg/m², included nurses and other nosocomial professionals, the majority with high social-economic status (75.2%). Participants were stratified according to BMI, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and metabolic syndrome (MS). Fasting plasma cortisol and the Framingham Coronary Risk Score was calculated.

Results

Mean cortisol was acceptable (19.4 ± 7.9 µg/dL) although with elevation in 21.6%. No correlation with FBG or MS occurred, and nonobese persons (BMI <25) exhibited the highest values (P=0.049). Comparison of the lowest and highest cortisol quartiles confirmed reduced BMI and waist circumference in the former, with unchanged Framingham Coronary Risk Score.

Conclusion

Cortisol correlated with reduced BMI. Despite low BMI and waist circumference, Framingham Coronary Risk Score was not benefitted, suggesting that exposure to cardiovascular risk continues, besides psychological strain. Initiatives to enhance organizational and staff health are advisable in the hospital environment.

HEADINGS
Hydrocortisone; Metabolic diseases; Obesity; Health personnel; Professional burnout

Variable	BMI <25	BMI 25-29.9	BMI ≥30	Significance P
Age (years)	32.3 ± 8.8	35.6 ± 10.2	35.6 ± 11.7	=0.196
Gender (% males)	9.6% (9/94)	14.8% (9/61)	13.3% (4/30)	=0.260
BMI (kg/m²)	22.3 ± 1.7	27.0 ± 1.5	33.0 ± 3.5	<0.001
Waist (cm)	76.0 ± 7.8	85.8 ± 6.1	98.3 ± 10.2	<0.001
Systolic (mmHg)	117 ± 13	119 ± 11	126 ± 15	=0.041
Diastolic (mmHg)	74 ± 9	79 ± 9	82 ± 12	=0.013
FBG (mg/dL)	81.1 ± 8.6	85.1 ± 9.9	92.1 ± 21.4	=0.032
Total chol. (mg/dL)	184 ± 33	187 ± 46	193 ± 42	=0.285
HDL chol. (mg/dL)	59.3 ± 12.3	52.4 ± 13.6	51.7 ± 15.1	=0.047
FCRS	1.0 ± 0.2	1.1 ± 0.2	1.2 ± 0.5	=0.037
F cortisol (µg/dL)	21.2 ± 8.1	18.0 ± 7.4	16.6 ± 6.8	=0.049

Variable	FBG <100	FBG 100-125	Significance P
Age	33.2 ± 9.4	41.7 ± 12.0	=0.003
Gender (% males)	11.0% (19/172)	23.1% (3/13)	=0.041
BMI (kg/m²)	25.3 ± 4.2	29.1 ± 5.2	=0.003
Waist (cm)	82.4 ±10.1	88.9 ± 20.5	=0.042
Systolic (mmHg)	118 ± 13	128 ± 14	=0.011
Diastolic (mmHg)	76 ± 10	=0.021	=0.021
FBG mg/dL	81.7 ± 7.1	110.7 ± 8.6	<0.001
Total chol. (mg/dL)	186 ± 38	199 ± 58	=0.173
HDL chol. (mg/dL)	56.4 ± 13.5	46.7 ± 12.3	=0.013
FCRS	1.06 ± 0.26	1.23 ± 0.60	=0.044
F cortisol (µg/dL)	19.5 ± 7.9	18.1 ± 7.8	=0.098

Variable	MS present	MS absent	Significance P
Age	40.0 ± 11.1	32.6 ± 8.9	<0.001
Gender (% males)	6.9% (2/29)	12.8% (20/156)	=0.168
BMI (kg/m²)	29.5 ± 4.6	24.8 ± 4.0	<0.001
Waist (cm)	92.3 ±11.3	81.0 ± 9.3	<0.001
Systolic (mmHg)	127 ± 14	117 ± 12	<0.001
Diastolic (mmHg)	84 ± 10	75 ± 9	<0.001
FBG mg/dL	92.1 ± 13.1	82.3 ± 9.1	=0.002
Total chol. (mg/dL)	209 ± 53	182 ± 34	=0.004
HDL chol. (mg/dL)	46.0 ± 11.8	57.7 ± 13.1	<0.001
FCRS	1.27 ± 0.37	1.03 ± 0.16	=0.002
F cortisol (µg/dL)	18.2 ± 7.8	19.7 ± 7.9	=0.336

Variable	Correlation(r)	Significance P
Age	-0.36	<0.001(*)
Waist circumference	-0.261	=0.004
BMI	-0.214	=0.013
Diastolic blood pressure	-0.141	=0.026
FBG	-0.129	=0.048
HDL cholesterol	0.272	=0.002
FCRS	-0.133	=0.045

Variable	Lowest quartile	Highest quartile	Significance P
Age	39.3 ± 11.6	28.8 ± 7.8	<0.001
Gender (% males)	11.0% (19/172)	23.1% (3/13)	=0.041
BMI (kg/m²)	26.9 ± 4.4	24.1 ± 3.0	=0.006
Waist (cm)	87.4 ±11.6	79.9 ± 8.2	<0.001
Systolic (mmHg)	116 ± 10	118 ± 10	=0.572
Diastolic (mmHg)	76 ± 8	75 ± 9	=0.460
FBG mg/dL	83.2 ± 13.1	80.9 ± 7.1	=0.376
Total chol. (mg/dL)	195 ± 30	191 ± 35	=0.667
HDL chol. (mg/dL)	53.1 ± 13.8	62.1 ± 12.7	=0.015
FCRS	1.05 ± 0.23	1.02 ± 0.15	=0.566
F cortisol (µg/dL)	7.6 ± 2.2	30.3 ± 4.3	<0.001

Instituto Brasileiro de Estudos e Pesquisas de Gastroenterologia e Outras Especialidades - IBEPEGE. Rua Dr. Seng, 320, 01331-020 São Paulo - SP Brasil, Tel./Fax: +55 11 3147-6227 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: secretariaarqgastr@hospitaligesp.com.br

Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[1] Correspondence: Prof. Joel Faintuch. Hospital das Clínicas, ICHC, 9º andar, sala 9077. Av. Enéias C. Aguiar, 255 - CEP: 05403-900 - São Paulo, SP, Brasil. E-mail: j.faintuch@hc.fm.usp.br