TY - JOUR
T1 - Cortisol output in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome
T2 - Pilot study on the comparison with healthy adolescents and change after cognitive behavioural guided self-help treatment
AU - Rimes, Katharine A.
AU - Papadopoulos, Andrew S.
AU - Cleare, Anthony J.
AU - Chalder, Trudie
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Objective: This study examined cortisol in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) compared to healthy adolescents and changes in cortisol after cognitive behavioural guided self-help treatment. Exploratory analyses investigated the association between cortisol output and psychological variables. Methods: Salivary cortisol was measured upon awakening, at 15, 30, 45 and 60. min afterwards and at 12 noon, 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., in adolescents with CFS and healthy controls (HC). Groups were matched for age, gender, menarche status, menstrual cycle and awakening time. Twenty-four adolescents with CFS provided saliva samples six months after treatment. The main outcome measure was total salivary output over the day, calculated by area under the curve (AUC). The salivary awakening response was also assessed. Results: Cortisol output over the day was significantly lower in the CFS group (n= 46) than in healthy controls (n= 33). Within the CFS group, lower daily cortisol output was associated with higher self-reported perfectionist striving and prosocial behaviour. There were no significant group differences in the awakening response (n= 47 CFS versus n= 34 HC). After treatment, adolescents with CFS (n= 21) showed a significant increase in daily cortisol output, up to normal levels. Conclusion: The reduced daily cortisol output in adolescents with CFS is in line with adult findings. Associations between reduced cortisol output and two psychological variables-perfectionism and prosocial behaviour-are consistent with cognitive behavioural models of chronic fatigue syndrome. The mild hypocortisolism is reversible; cortisol output had returned to healthy adolescent levels by six months after cognitive behavioural guided self-help treatment.
AB - Objective: This study examined cortisol in adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) compared to healthy adolescents and changes in cortisol after cognitive behavioural guided self-help treatment. Exploratory analyses investigated the association between cortisol output and psychological variables. Methods: Salivary cortisol was measured upon awakening, at 15, 30, 45 and 60. min afterwards and at 12 noon, 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., in adolescents with CFS and healthy controls (HC). Groups were matched for age, gender, menarche status, menstrual cycle and awakening time. Twenty-four adolescents with CFS provided saliva samples six months after treatment. The main outcome measure was total salivary output over the day, calculated by area under the curve (AUC). The salivary awakening response was also assessed. Results: Cortisol output over the day was significantly lower in the CFS group (n= 46) than in healthy controls (n= 33). Within the CFS group, lower daily cortisol output was associated with higher self-reported perfectionist striving and prosocial behaviour. There were no significant group differences in the awakening response (n= 47 CFS versus n= 34 HC). After treatment, adolescents with CFS (n= 21) showed a significant increase in daily cortisol output, up to normal levels. Conclusion: The reduced daily cortisol output in adolescents with CFS is in line with adult findings. Associations between reduced cortisol output and two psychological variables-perfectionism and prosocial behaviour-are consistent with cognitive behavioural models of chronic fatigue syndrome. The mild hypocortisolism is reversible; cortisol output had returned to healthy adolescent levels by six months after cognitive behavioural guided self-help treatment.
KW - Fatigue
KW - Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
KW - Neuroendocrine
KW - Paediatric
KW - Perfectionism
KW - Youth
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84923295785&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.08.018
DO - 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.08.018
M3 - Article
C2 - 25260861
AN - SCOPUS:84923295785
SN - 0022-3999
VL - 77
SP - 409
EP - 414
JO - Journal of Psychosomatic Research
JF - Journal of Psychosomatic Research
IS - 5
ER -