[Afternoon plasma cortisol level in patients with depression in the course of affective disorder]

The aim of paper was to assess parameters characterising fluctuation of afternoon cortisol level in a group of patients with major depression compared to matched healthy controls.

34 inpatients (21 women and 13 men) with major depression and 28 matched healthy controls (18 men and 10 men) were included in this study. 25 patients fulfilled the criteria for melancholic type. The mean age of the depressive group (43.4 +/- 10.4) was similar to the controls (40.8 +/- 10.9). The intensity of depression measured by 17--items HDRS varied from 20 to 26 (mean: 24). The duration of depression lasted: from 6 to 37 weeks (mean: 13). Plasma cortisol level was measured in 7 samples of blood collected between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. The following parameters characterising fluctuation of hormone level were specified: maximum, minimum and mean plasma cortisol level and its range (maximum-minimum).

There were no statistical differences between the depressed group and healthy controls in all four parameters. There were also no statistical differences between healthy controls and the separated groups of patients: with melancholic features, single episode, recurrent depressions and bipolar affective disorder.

Results showed that the afternoon drop in cortisol level took place in both groups: depressed patients and matched healthy controls. In the group of depressive patients diurnal patterns of cortisol secretion was maintained between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.