Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.3325/cmj.2021.62.80
Salivary cortisol response to psychosocial stress in patients with first-episode psychosis
Linda Rossini Gajšak
; Dr Ivan Barbot Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Popovača, Croatia
Željka Vogrinc
; Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Mirela Čelić Ružić
; Sveti Ivan Psychiatric Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
Dina Bošnjak Kuharić
; Vrapče University Psychiatric Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
Marija Bošković
; Dr Ivan Barbot Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Popovača, Croatia
Ana Koričančić Makar
; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Porin Makarić
; Vrapče University Psychiatric Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
Vesna Ermakora
; Dr Ivan Barbot Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Popovača, Croatia
Ivana Kekin
; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Žarko Bajić
; Sveti Ivan Psychiatric Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
Martina Rojnić Kuzman
; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Aim To analyze the difference in the salivary cortisol response to psychosocial stress between the patients with
the first episode of psychosis (FEP) and the control group.
Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the
baseline measurements of a prospective cohort study
conducted from 2015 to 2018 at two Croatian psychiatric hospitals. The study consecutively enrolled 53 patients
diagnosed with FEP and 63 healthy controls. The primary outcome was the difference in the changes of salivary
cortisol concentration during the stress test. The secondary outcome was the difference in the baseline levels of
salivary cortisol between patients with FEP and controls.
The tertiary outcome were the correlations of salivary cortisol levels with the results of the Positive and Negative
Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia, Rosenberg Self-Esteem
Scale, and the International Personality Item Pool.
Results Patients with FEP had significantly higher baseline
salivary cortisol than controls, but their salivary cortisol increased significantly less during the stress test.
Conclusion Patients with FEP respond differently to stressful stimuli than controls, as shown by the increased baseline salivary cortisol and blunted cortisol response, possibly
indicating a greater vulnerability to psychosocial stress.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
278046
URI
Publication date:
25.2.2021.
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