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Stress is a biological response in the form of physiological, biochemical, hematological, and behavioral changes to internal or external stimuli that threaten the homeostasis of living beings. Effects that activate the defense system in living things are defined as stressors, and it is possible to talk about many different stress factors. Factors that cause stress can be divided into environmental, physical, social or emotional. Stress reactions, which begin with the effect of the stressor, vary according to the duration and severity of exposure to stress. In animal welfare, stress has many negative effects on organism. These negative effects may cause many problems and, shape future by adding problems such as stress and chain links in animals. Just as well-being is for humans, well-being is very important for animals. To determination of glucocorticoids or metabolites in the bloodstream of an organism under stress, noninvasive methods that provide reliable stress measurement without interfering with the organism have recently become increasingly popular. In this review article study, nineteen articles from various parts of the world were examined. In this review, measures of stress by non-invasive methods by looking at GlucoCorticoid Metabolites (GCM) and the latest developments in this field are discussed. In this review article study, nineteen articles from various parts of the world were examined. As a result of the articles reviewed, non-invasive methods for measuring stress may aid and improve our understanding of stress biology and animal welfare. Applying this method to many animal species and biological materials will provide accurate results and support animal welfare.

Stress is a biological response in the form of physiological, biochemical, hematological, and behavioral changes to internal or external stimuli that threaten the homeostasis of living beings. Effects that activate the defense system in living things are defined as stressors, and it is possible to talk about many different stress factors. Factors that cause stress can be divided into environmental, physical, social or emotional. Stress reactions, which begin with the effect of the stressor, vary according to the duration and severity of exposure to stress. In animal welfare, stress has many negative effects on organism. These negative effects may cause many problems and, shape future by adding problems such as stress and chain links in animals. Just as well-being is for humans, well-being is very important for animals. To determination of glucocorticoids or metabolites in the bloodstream of an organism under stress, noninvasive methods that provide reliable stress measurement without interfering with the organism have recently become increasingly popular. In this review article study, nineteen articles from various parts of the world were examined. In this review, measures of stress by non-invasive methods by looking at GlucoCorticoid Metabolites (GCM) and the latest developments in this field are discussed. In this review article study, nineteen articles from various parts of the world were examined. As a result of the articles reviewed, non-invasive methods for measuring stress may aid and improve our understanding of stress biology and animal welfare. Applying this method to many animal species and biological materials will provide accurate results and support animal welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Online Journal of Recreation & Sports is the property of Online Journal of Recreation & Sports and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Midwifery & Health Sciences is the property of Ataturk University Coordinatorship of Scientific Journals and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The influence of homeostatically regulated physiological processes, including cardiorespiratory fitness (V02max), on the response to physical stressors such as acclimatisation and marching, remains understudied. We aimed to investigate the effects of summer and winter acclimatisation and marching on cortisol levels and blood lactate, to gain insight into the role of these physiological processes in the stress response. Methods: Two groups of young Europeans, classified as poor (PCF; n=9) and good physical condition (GCF; n=21), based on a V02max threshold of 40 mL O2/kg/min, underwent 2-h march (6-7 km/h) in winter (5 °C) and summer (32 °C). Commercial tests, UniCel Dxl Access Cortisol assay and EKF Biosen Clinic/GP assay were used for cortisol and lactate blood measurements (morning samples and those taken immediately after marches), respectively. Results: Basal cortisol levels were significantly higher at 5 °C than at 32 °C (PCF group: P= 0.0079; cortisol dropped after the march at 5 °C in both groups, but increased at 32 °C only in PCF. Basal lactate levels were higher at 32 °C only in the GCF group (compared to PCF, P=0.0014) and post-marching (compared to basal values, P=0.0002). Conclusion: Cold exposure elicits a more significant stress response, based on higher basal cortisol levels, in individuals with worse physical fitness. Anaerobe metabolism prevails in participants with better physical fitness exposed to high ambient temperature based on increased basal and post-marching lactate levels. The study is significant for individual training/performance optimisation as it indicates the association between physiological stress responses and individual physical fitness levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salivary cortisone strongly correlates with serum cortisol, and since it is less invasive to measure salivary cortisone than serum cortisol and easier than to measure cortisol in saliva, as its concentrations are much lower, we wanted to compare salivary cortisone and cortisol levels as markers of noise-induced stress reaction. The study included 104 participants aged 19–30 years, 50 of whom were exposed to occupational noise ≥85 dB(A) and 54 non-exposed, control students. All participants took samples of their saliva with Salivette® Cortisol synthetic swabs on three consecutive working days first thing in the morning. Salivary cortisone and cortisol levels were determined with high-performance liquid chromatography. In addition, they completed a 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) questionnaire, and occupationally noise-exposed participants also completed the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) questionnaire on occupational psychosocial risks. The exposed participants had significantly higher cortisone (P

Copyright of Archives of Industrial Hygiene & Toxicology / Arhiv za Higijenu Rada I Toksikologiju is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Online Journal of Recreation & Sports is the property of Online Journal of Recreation & Sports and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Sports Sciences is the property of Turkiye Klinikleri and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The prediction of disease severity in COVID- 19 could be a valuable tool for providing early treatment and reducing mortality. We aimed to evaluate the predictor value of baseline cortisol values on disease severity' and assess the correlation between the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and cortisol levels. Methods: In this retrospective study, we compared the prognostic value of baseline NLR, morning cortisol, ferritin, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels among patients with severe and non-severe COVID-19. The association was assessed with Spearman's correlation. Results: 37.7% of the patients (n=63) had severe disease, and their baseline cortisol levels were higher than those in the non-severe group (522 nmol/L vs 380.7 nmol/L, p= 0.011). The baseline cortisol level and NLR had area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.62 (95% confidence interval [Cl] 0.53-0.71) and 0.70 (Cl 95% 0.62-0.78) for the prediction of severe COVID-19, respectively. Severe disease was predicted in patients with a baseline cortisol cutoff 2: 522 nmol/L with a specificity of 75.0%, a sensitivity of 50.79%. The cutoff value for the NLR on day 1 was 2: 6.2, with a specificity of 93.27% and a sensitivity of 32.79%. Baseline cortisol levels showed a significant weak- moderate positive correlation with the NLR and levels of CRP and ferritin on day 1 (r=0.33, r=0.29, r=0.28, respectively, p<0.001 for all). Conclusions: The baseline cortisol level in COVID-19 patients is a good predictive marker for disease severity and non-inferior to the NLR. However, it is inferior to CRP and ferritin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Online Journal of Recreation & Sports is the property of Online Journal of Recreation & Sports and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Kinesiologia Slovenica is the property of Faculty of Sport and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Immunology Quaterly / Immunológia Szemle is the property of Medicina Konyvkiado Zrt. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

OBJECTIVE: Cortisol is a glucocorticoid and can be used as a stress mediator in association with adrenal insufficiency. A diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency is made when the episodically released cortisol levels are below 3 mcg/dl by making a single measurement at any time of the day. We aimed to determine the presence of underlying adrenal insufficiency by measuring cortisol levels in patients brought to the emergency room by the hospital code blue team that firstly performed their critical care, who fainted whilst giving blood samples in the blood collection unit. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Observational, prospective study; It consists of 28 patients brought to emergency department by Code Blue Team between 2017 and 2020. After physical examination and electrocardiogram(ECG) evaluation, samples were taken for complete blood count, biochemical parameters, venous blood gas, cardiac biomarkers and cortisol measurement. Obtained results were analyzed with SPSS 22. RESULTS: The lowest cortisol level was 9 mcg/dL, and the highest cortisol level was 40,4 mcg/dL. Cortisol levels were higher in women than men. But T-test analysis revealed that gender is not a determining factor in cortisol levels (p=0,26). The correlation between blood collection time and cortisol values was calculated close to zero (r2=0.09). The patient diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency with a single measurement was not defined in the study population. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with acute adrenal insufficiency may come to the emergency department with orthostatic hypotension, agitation, syncope, abdominal pain and fever, and may result in death if left untreated (1). Although emotional stress is 20% among the precipitating factors of adrenal crisis, no significant relationship was found between stress and cortisol in our study (2). The limitations of our study are that it can only be carried out during working hours, and advanced diagnostic tests can not be performed in the emergency room.

Objective: Serum cortisol is a glucocorticoid and can be used as a stress mediator in association with adrenal insufficiency. A diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency is made when the episodically released serum cortisol levels are below 3 mcg/dl by making a single measurement at any time of the day. In this study, we aimed to define the presence of underlying adrenal insufficiency by measuring serum cortisol levels in patients who fainted while giving blood samples in the blood collection unit and brought to the emergency room by the hospital code blue team after receiving critical care. Materials and Methods: Observational, prospective study; It consists of 28 patients brought to emergency department by Code Blue Team between 2017 and 2020. After physical examination and electrocardiogram(ECG) evaluation, samples were taken for complete blood count, biochemical parameters, venous blood gas, cardiac biomarkers and serum cortisol measurement. Blood samples taken at the time of application were studied in the emergency laboratory on the same day. Obtained results were analyzed with SPSS 22 and MATLAB programs. Results: The lowest serum serum cortisol level was 9 mcg/dL, and the highest serum cortisol level was 40,4 mcg/dL. Serum cortisol levels were higher in females than males. To evaluate statistically difference between serum cortisol values of male and female, t-test was applied. The test results revealed that gender is not a determining factor in serum cortisol levels (p=0,26). Moreover, correlation analysis was performed to determine strength of the relationship and Pearson correlation was calculated (r=0.314). Statistical analysis indicated that the correlation coefficient is not statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. The patient diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency with a single measurement was not defined in the study population. Conclusions: Patients with acute adrenal insufficiency may come to the emergency department with orthostatic hypotension, agitation, syncope, abdominal pain and fever, and may result in death if it is left untreated. When the serum cortisol levels of the patients who experienced intense stress during blood sampling and had syncope were examined within the scope of the study, a critical value that would make the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency was not found. Although emotional stress is 20% among the precipitating factors of adrenal crisis, no significant relationship was found between stress and serum cortisol in our study. The limitations of our study are that it can only be carried out during working hours 08:00 -16:00, and advanced diagnostic tests for primary and/or secondary adrenal insufficiency can not be performed in the emergency room. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Balikesir Health Sciences Journal / Balıkesir Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Balikesir Health Sciences Journal (BAUN Health Sci J) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: There are several clinical outcomes associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, including pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and death. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether serum cortisol levels affect COVID-19 prognosis. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted with COVID-19 pneumonia patients hospitalized in an internal medicine clinic at the Haseki Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul from March 13 to May 31, 2020. Demographics, laboratory test results, and clinical outcomes of the patients were recorded. The patients were divided into two groups based on whether they were hospitalized for 1-9 days or =10 days. Both groups were classified according to their average age and duration of hospitalization/discharge, and laboratory parameters were analyzed. Results: This study was conducted on 129 COVID-19 pneumonia patients, 13 of whom died during the study period. The mean age was 68.7±10.9 years for nonsurvivors and 55.7±15.9 years for survivors (p=0.001). Serum cortisol levels were significantly elevated in patients with a long hospital stay. While there was no significant difference in the hemogram or biochemical parameters of the two groups, correlation analysis showed a close relationship between serum cortisol levels and length of hospitalization. Conclusion: Cortisol is a reliable predictor of the length of hospital stay and prognosis of COVID-19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hypertonia és Nephrologia is the property of LifeTime Media Kft. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Training received during pregnancy may alter the prenatal stress level. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of prenatal education on the stress axis of the body, namely the hypothalamo- pituitary adrenal axis (HPA) and autonomic nervous system (ANS) in different delivery types (vaginal or caesarean section). Materials and Methods: In this prospective study, women who were going to have caesarean or vaginal delivery were compared in terms of whether they undertook prenatal education (PNE) in pregnancy school or not. Among those of women having PNE, twenty women had caesarean delivery and, therefore, the number of women in other groups was decided accordingly. As a result, a total of 4 groups were formed as follows: women having PNE/caesarean delivery (n=20), having PNE/vaginal delivery (n=20), not having PNE/having caesarean delivery (n=20) and not having PNE/having vaginal delivery (n=20). In these women, the prenatal HPA and ANS activities were measured non-invasively with saliva cortisol and heart rate variability (HRV), respectively. HRV was measured by 5-min electrocardiogram recording and time- and frequency-domains parameters were calculated. Results: The (PNE) did not affect the prenatal cortisol and HRV parameters in none of the delivery types (vaginal and caesarean) (p>0.05). HRV parameters were higher in women having vaginal delivery than those of caesarean delivery (P<0.05). No correlations were observed between the cortisol and HRV parameters (P>0.05). Conclusion: The prenatal education had no effect on HPA and ANS; however, the delivery type altered the HRV parameters. Saliva cortisol and HRV may be useful parameters in terms of examining the physiology of the birth process [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agriculture / Poljoprivreda is the property of Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Agriculture in Osijek and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: Asthma is a complex inflammatory disease. The therapy for asthma is usually pharmacotherapy but it can increase the side effects in the long run. Hypnosis has been used to clinically treat asthma. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of hypnotherapy which will increase the standard of therapy in psychogenic asthma patients on immune response, stress mediators, and asthma control level. Materials and Methods: This research is a double-blind experimental randomized control trial group study with a crossover design conducted in the outpatient clinic of Dr. Moewardi Hospital, Surakarta, Indonesia. The Friedman test followed by the marginal homogeneity statistic test was used to assess variations in the levels of asthma control. The study subjects were 30 respondents who were divided randomly into groups A and B. Both groups had standard asthma therapy and hypnotherapy with a different sequence. Results: Hypnotherapy made a significant decrease in SCL 90 score within each group as follows: Group A (A1 vs A2; p=0.004) and Group B (B2 vs B3; p=0.001). Levels of asthma control improved significantly in both groups (A1 vs A2; p=0.001 and B2 vs B3; p=0.004). Hypnotherapy significantly improved the norepinephrine levels in both groups as well (A1 vs A2; p=0.001 and B2 vs B3; p=0.073). Hypnotherapy insignificantly reduced IL-13 (p=0.132) and IL-17 (p=0.149) levels. Conclusion: This study concluded that hypnotherapy applied to psychogenic asthma patients can improve their standard therapy response. This improved standard therapy response will affect the treatment, prevention, and management of uncontrolled asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Systemic amyloidosis may affect many organs, and may cause endocrinologic problems which may result in adrenal insufficiency. However, assessment of adrenocortical reserve is challenging in amyloidosis patients with renal involvement. We aimed to evaluate adrenocortical reserve with various methods of cortisol measurement to determine any occult clinical condition. Methods: Patients with renal amyloidosis and healthy subjects were evaluated in this crosssectional study. Basal cortisol, corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG), and albumin levels were measured. Serum free cortisol (cFC) level was calculated. Cortisol response tests performed after ACTH stimulation test (250 µg, intravenously) were evaluated, and free cortisol index (FCI) was calculated. Results: Twenty renal amyloidosis patients, and 25 healthy control subjects were included in the study. Patients and control subjects had similar median serum baseline cortisol levels [258 (126-423) vs 350 (314-391) nmol/L, p=0.169)] whereas patients' stimulated cortisol levels at the 60th minute were lower [624 (497-685) vs 743 (674-781) nmol/L, p=0.011)]. The 60th-minute total cortisol levels of 8 of the 20 (40%) amyloidosis patients were <500 nmol/L, but only three of these 8 patients had stimulated FCI <12 nmol/mg suggesting an adrenal insufficiency (15%). Conclusion: ACTH stimulation test and cortisol measurements should be considered in renal amyloidosis patients with severe proteinuria to avoid false positive results if only ACTH stimulation test is used. It will be appropriate to evaluate this group of patients together with estimated measurements as FCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hungarian Journal of Anesthesiolog & Intensive Therapy / Aneszteziológia és Intenzív Terápia is the property of Hungarian Society of Anaesthesiology & Intensive Therapy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Osmangazi Journal of Medicine / Osmangazi Tip Dergisi is the property of Eskisehir Osmangazi University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Orbis Scholae is the property of Charles University Prague, Faculty of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we aimed to define the serum levels of cortisol, epinephrine, free T4 (fT4), free T3 (fT3) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in term and late preterm newborns with TTN and control group; to determine the relationship between the development of TTN and these stress hormone levels. MATERIALS and METHODS: 90 newborns, including term (n: 25), late preterm (n: 20) patient diagnosed of TTN and control group (n: 45), were included in the study. Gestational week, type of delivery (elective cesarean section(C/S), activated C/S, vaginal), gender, birth weight, Apgar scores and maternal characteristics were recorded. Blood samples were obtained from the patients for serum cortisol, epinephrine, fT4, fT3 and TSH hormone levels between 18.- 24. hours postnatally. RESULTS: There was no difference in demographic characteristics between the groups (p> 0.05), and the risk of developing TTN was determined highly in the elective C/S group (p <0.05). Although serum cortisol levels there was no statistically significant difference; the sT4 and sT3 levels were similar. TSH and epinephrine levels were significantly lower in the newborn group diagnosed with TTN (p <0.05). Altough cortisol, epinephrine and TSH hormone levels were lower in the late preterm patient group compared to the control group (p <0.05); sT3 sT4 levels were found to be similar (p> 0.05). There was no significant difference between term patient group and control group hormone levels (p> 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In our study; In our study; when the group diagnosed with TTN was compared with the control group, TSH and epinephrine levels were found to be low, but unlike the literature, there was no difference in the levels of cortisol, fT3 and fT4. With these results; we think that TSH and epinephrine may be effective in regulating fetal lung fluid absorption and postnatal pulmonary adaptation mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Changes in sleep duration and sleep disturbance have been reported to affect hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activities. However, the effect of ANS activity on sleep parameters and HPA activity in the subsequent night and morning is not known. The aim of the current study, was, therefore, to assess the effects of heart rate varibility (HRV) on subsequent night sleep parameters and cortisol awakening response (CAR). Materials and Methods: Electrocardiographic recordings were carried out for 5 min for determination of HRV in healty medical students (n=48). They were allowed to sleep in their normal routines in following night. Sleep diaries were filled for sleep parameters (Karolinska Sleep Diary and Questionnaire). Salivary samples were taken at 0, 15, 30- and 60-min post-awakening for measurement of CAR. Cortisol concentrations were measured in the salivary samples by enzyme immunoassay. Correlations were carried out by Spearman Rho. p <0.05 values were considered significant. Results: The majority of the participants (80%) had time-domain variables within the normal range and they did not have sleep disturbances. Time- and frequency-domain parameters of HRV during the morning did not correlate with sleep parameters (time, duration, disturbed sleep, awakening problems) or CAR (mean, area under the curve) in the next day (p>0.05). Conclusion: The results of the current study suggest that, under the conditions which do not have profound effects on ANS activity, neither sleep parameters nor the next morning cortisol responses are affected by HRV. Additionally, a quality night sleep might counterbalance both the possible effects of previous days autonomic pressures and the next morning's cortisol responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Stomatologica Croatica is the property of Acta Stomatologica Croatica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Research on psychoses, especially schizophrenia, has been focusing on the period before and just after its onset. An interesting topic of research has recently become the influence of stress and dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary- adrenal axis, which seems to play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia. The researchers are focused mainly on the role of cortisol, but the results are different. However, most studies suggest an increased basal cortisol level in patients with first episode of psychosis or people with a very high risk of developing psychosis, but on the other hand, a dynamic cortisol response to stress is reduced. Another hormone, aldosterone, which has been considered as mineralocorticoid without any function in the brain, appears to affect also psychological functions. There are studies showing the association of aldosterone levels related to clinical status (severity, course and outcome) in depressive disorder. In schizophrenia, there is a pilot study that has a different association with the severity of psychopathology of schizophrenia than in the case of depressive disorder, namely aldosterone serum levels were higher in patients with longer duration of schizophrenia and lower severity of psychopathology, as well as aldosterone / cortisol ratio. Because of lack of knowledge, further studies are needed to clarify the role of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, cortisol and aldosterone as potential biomarkers in psychotic disorders, especially schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amaç: Çalışmada esmololün intraoperatif anestezik- postoperatif analjezik gereksinimi, postoperatif kortizol ve prolaktin düzeylerine etkisini araştırmayı amaçladık. Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmaya 60 hasta dahil edilmiştir. Çalışma grupları şu şekilde dizayn edildi; 1: Esmolol infüzyonuna propofol ve remifentanil eklendi, 2: Sadece propofol ve remifentanil, 3: Esmolol infüzyonuna desfluran ve remifentanil eklendi, 4: Sadece desfluran ve remifentanil kullanıldı. Ameliyat öncesi ve sonrası kortizol ve prolaktin seviyeleri ölçüldü.Bulgular: Analjezik gereksinimi tüm gruplar içinde grup 1'de anlamlı olarak düşüktü ve grup 4 ile karşılaştırıldığında grup 3'te düşük bulundu. Kalp hızı esmolol gruplarında (grup 1 ve 3) kontrol gruplarına göre anlamlı olarak daha düşüktü. Prolaktin düzeyleri bütün gruplarda preoperatif değerlere göre postoperatif dönemde anlamlı yüksek bulundu. Ameliyat öncesi seviyelere ile karşılaştırıldığında postoperatif kortizol düzeylerinde grup 1de anlamlı bir azalma gözlendi. Sonuç: Laparoskopik kolesistektomi hastalarında anestezi yönetiminde adjuvan esmolol kullanımı herhangi bir hemodinamik instabiliteye neden olmadan anestezik - analjezik gereksinimini azaltıp postoperatif kortizol yanıtı baskılarken ameliyat sonrası prolaktin yanıtı üzerinde önemli bir etkisi yoktur.

Copyright of Hungarian Medical Journal / Orvosi Hetilap is the property of Akademiai Kiado and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aim: To determine the prevalence of newly developed low cortisol levels among critically ill medical patients with prolonged or recurrent vasopressor need as well as the factors associated with it. Materials and Methods: This was an observational study which was conducted in a university hospital's medical intensive care unit (ICU) between July 2014 - July 2015. Initial cortisol levels were measured in septic shock patients unresponsive to fluid resuscitation and vasopressors. Patients with initial cortisol levels ≥15 μg/dl were followed; testing was repeated in patients with ongoing/recurrent vasopressor dependency. Patients were grouped as higher (≥15 μg/dl ) and lower (<15 μg/dl) cortisol groups based on repeat testing. Results: Thirty-seven patients had initial cortisol levels ≥15 μg/dl and 19 patients underwent cortisol retesting for ongoing/recurrent vasopressor need. Mean (±SD) age of the patients was 70±13.5 years. APACHE II and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores on ICU admission were 25.3±6.5 and 10.4±5.2, respectively. Eleven (%58) were in the lower cortisol group. Age, gender, admission APACHEII and SOFA scores, serum albumin, protein, C-reactive protein and procalcitonin levels at time of admission and repeat sampling were similar between the groups. However, at the time of cortisol retesting, patients with lower cortisol levels had significantly longer length of ICU stay (p=0.038). When glucocorticoid therapy was begun in lower cortisol group, vasopressors were weaned within 48 hours in all. Conclusion: Prolonged or recurrent vasopressor dependency should prompt a search for low cortisol levels in patients with prolonged critical illness, even though prior results were reported to be normal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Selcuk University Journal of Engineering, Science & Technology / Selçuk Üniversitesi Mühendislik, Bilim ve Teknoloji Dergisi is the property of Selcuk University, Engineering & Architecture Faculty and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In pediatric patients hypercortisolemia results mostly from the exogenous administration of glucocorticoid hormones. Endogenous hypercortisolemia or Cushing syndrome is rare in children. Signs and symptoms of this syndrome need to be timely recognized and treated as these patients have increased morbidity and mortality. In this article, it is emphasized need for using appropriate diagnostic tests and clear criteria for Cushing syndrome. In case of confirmed diagnosis of Cushing syndrome or Cushing disease, the patients have to be treated and followed-up by experienced multidisciplinary team. Such an approach enables adequate treatment, insures better prognosis and improve cure rates of the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the possible relationship between fetal nutritional status and hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis in neonates. Methods: The prospective observational study was conducted on singleton term appropriate for gestational age and small for gestational age infants during a 1-year period. All of the neonates' cord-blood cortisol and adrenocroticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels were measured, and those identified as suffering from fetal malnutrition (FM) were placed into the study group, while the cord-blood cortisol and ACTH levels of well-nourished term newborns comprised the control group. Results: A total of 588 term newborns were included in the study. The body weight, height and head circumference values of the study group were found to be lower in the study group compared to the control group (p=0.001). The cortisol levels were found to be increased by 22.6% in the study group and by 13.9% in the control group. No difference was found between the cord blood cortisol levels. No difference was observed between the study group and control group in terms of the cord blood ACTH levels. Conclusion: The study results were not found association between the cord blood cortisol and/or ACTH values and FM. Cord blood cortisol and ACTH values do not seem to be appropriate laboratory tests in terms of supporting the diagnosis in neonates with FM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is the most common ulcerative disease of the oral mucosa that commonly affects the general population. The objective of this study was to conduct a research in assesing the relationship between psychological disorders including anxiety, depression and salivary cortisol levels in patients with RAS. Methods: Thirty-nine patients suffering from minor RAS were enrolled in the study after obtaining an informed consent. The control group consisted of 25 age and gender matched healthy individuals. All subjects were evaluated by using both psychological tests (Hamilton's anxiety rating scale [HARS] and Hamilton's depression rating scale [HDRS]) and physiological testing instrument (salivary cortisol level). Results: While no statistical difference was found between the patients with RAS and controls for both salivary cortisol levels and anxiety, there was statisticaly significant difference between the groups for depression. Conclusion: There was no significant increase in salivary cortisol levels in patients with active disease when compared to the healthy subjects. But we found that depression scale values were significantly higher in patients with RAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Stress is a process that takes place when the body is exposed to any kind of aggression, which in such a way threatens it, that defense using specific adaptation mechanisms is not possible. The adaptive abilities of each individual are limited and different, depending on a number of factors, such as age, sex, health status and numerous psychological and social characteristics. The precondition for an adequate response to stress is the existence of intactness and functional maturity and the competence of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Objective: The aim of this paper is to investigate the characteristics of the stress response from the earliest age of life. Material and methods: An overview of current knowledge of the adrenal axis and stress response in newborns. Results: Nowdays it is known that the response of the adrenal axis to stress in newborns at birth is qualitatively present, and in the case of a term newborn, it is quantitatively competent, as it is in the later periods of childhood, when the response to stress does not show a significant age related difference. In premature infants this response is weaker. Knowing the specificity of prematurity, it is clear that premature newborns, especially those very low birth weigh, are actually constantly in a certain state of stress initiated in utero. According to the results of numerous studies, it seems that in stress situations some very premature newborns are unable to adapt their secretion of cortisol, which leads them to a state of relative adrenal insufficiency, which is of a transient character - from the second week of life, the secretion of cortisol begins to adapt. However much of vital importance is an adequate response to stress in the state of intense and long-lasting stress, when this response ceases to be purposeful and may have a negative impact on the health of the newborn. Conclusion: Inadequate stress response is a factor that contributes to the development of a pathological condition in a premature newborn. In addition to immediate, significant late consequences of stress are increasingly reported, which imposes the need to prevent stress in these children, as a way to improve the outcome of this most vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study has been conducted in order to determine whether the CIDR application on Kıvırcık and Karacabey Merino ewes used for supplying estrous synchronization a stress factor or not. For this purpose; T3 (triiodothyronine), T4 (thyroxine) and cortisol hormone levels of sheep in their blood samples were measured on day 1 when CIDR apparatus were mounted, on day 7 and on day 14 when they were removed. In this study, 80 head of ewes in total were used which consisted of 40 head Kıvırcık and 40 head Karacabey Merino ewes. 10 ml of blood from jugular veins of sheep were taken at the specified periods into EDTA tubes, and their T3, T4 and cortisol concentrations were identified by commercial RIA kits. In Kıvırcık race, these values were identified as 1.76 (ng/mL), 7.92 (µg/dL), 5.30 (µg/dL) respectively while in Karacabey Merino race as 1.69 (ng/mL), 7.00 (µg/dL) and 4.19 (µg/dL) respectively. In terms of T4 and cortisol, the difference between races were found significant (P<0.01) while difference between the periods were found significant only for T3 hormone (P<0.01). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hungarian Medical Journal / Orvosi Hetilap is the property of Akademiai Kiado and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction. Adrenal insufficiency results from the inadequate adrenocortical conjunction. Adrenal insufficiency can be primary, secondary and tertiary one. The most common cause of adrenal suppression is the effect of exogenous therapy with glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoids. Corticosteroids are used in treatment of endocrine and non-endocrine diseases. They are applied as a substitution therapy in the patients with primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency. Due to their immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory characteristics, they are used to treat a wide range of diseases. They are usually divided according to the length and size of the effect i.e. how they are applied. Adrenal Insufficiency. Glucocorticoid therapy may lead to a number of adverse effects such as a disorder in glucose metabolism, osteoporosis or frequent infections. Adrenal suppression is the most common complication resulting from corticosteroid application. The function of the hypothalamus-pituitaryadrenal axis may be inhibited for months after the treatment cessation. There are several predictors of potential glucocorticoid-induced adrenal suppression. Diagnosing Adrenal Insufficiency. The most frequent symptoms and signs of adrenal insufficiency are fatigue, nausea and vomiting, hyponatremia, hyperpigmentation or hypotension. Algorithm for the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency must be followed in clinical practice. Reduction in Glucocorticoid Therapy. Reduction or complete cessation of the therapy is indicated when the maximum therapeutic benefit has been achieved or when considerable side effects, such as diabetes mellitus, severe hypertension, osteoporosis i.e. adrenal insufficiency, develop. Conclusion. Numerous synthetic glucocorticoids have been developed to be used in everyday clinical practice and they can be administered systemically or locally. A lot of side effects are associated with chronic administration of glucocorticoids. In order to avoid complications, it is recommended to administer intermediate-acting glucocorticoids every second day. In addition, the patients must be monitored carefully and glucocorticoid therapy should be discontinued gradually to prevent adrenal insufficiency or reactivation of the disease under therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]