1. MsFLASH analysis of diurnal salivary cortisol and palpitations in peri- and postmenopausal women
- Author
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Diane Von Ah, Rebecca C. Thurston, James E. Tisdale, Katherine A. Guthrie, Chen X. Chen, Ying Sheng, Susan D. Reed, Joseph C. Larson, Richard J. Kovacs, and Janet S. Carpenter
- Subjects
Postmenopausal women ,Hydrocortisone ,business.industry ,Yoga ,Applied Mathematics ,General Mathematics ,Peri ,Obstetrics and Gynecology ,Physiology ,Arrhythmias, Cardiac ,Article ,Circadian Rhythm ,Postmenopause ,Child, Preschool ,Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ,Palpitations ,Humans ,Medicine ,Female ,medicine.symptom ,Saliva ,business ,Stress, Psychological ,Salivary cortisol - Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between diurnal salivary cortisol patterns and distress from heart palpitations in midlife women. METHODS: We analyzed baseline data from 293 women who were eligible for a 3×2 factorial trial of exercise or yoga vs. routine activity, and omega-3 fish oil vs. placebo for vasomotor symptoms. Women self-collected salivary cortisol using swabs at four time points over two consecutive days and reported distress from heart racing or pounding during the past two weeks using a single item. Sample description and covariate data included demographics, clinical data, vasomotor symptom frequency from daily diaries, medication use, and validated questionnaires on depression, stress, and insomnia (Patient Health Questionnaire-8, Perceived Stress Scale, and Insomnia Severity index). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square and t-tests, and repeated measure linear regression models. RESULTS: Participants were on average 54.6 (SD=3.6) years old, most were white (67%),, most were postmenopausal (84%), and 26% reported distress related to palpitations. In adjusted models, the morning (wake plus 30-minute) geometric mean daily salivary cortisol concentrations were significantly more blunted in those with distress from palpitations compared to those without distress (p≤0.03). When all covariates were controlled, distress from palpitations was the sole significant predictor of wake plus 30-minute cortisol (−0.25 [−0.45 to −0.04], p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Palpitations among midlife women may be associated with blunted morning cortisol, and this relationship is not explained by demographics, clinical variables, vasomotor symptoms, medications, depression, stress, or insomnia.
- Published
- 2021