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Horm Metab Res 2017; 49(07): 510-519
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-101822
Endocrine Care
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Salivary Cortisol, Perceived Stress, and Metabolic Syndrome: A Matched Case-Control Study in Female Shift Workers

Anderson Garcez
1   Post-Graduate Program in Collective Health, University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), Av. Unisinos, São Leopoldo, RS, Brazil
,
Elisabete Weiderpass
2   Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
3   Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, Institute of Population-based Cancer Research, Oslo, Norway
4   Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
5   University of Tromsø, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
6   Genetic Epidemiology Group, Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
,
Raquel Canuto
7   Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul State (UFRGS), St. Ramiro Barcelos, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
,
Sheila Bünecker Lecke
8   Gynecological Endocrinology Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
9   Department of Diagnostic Methods, Federal University of Health Science of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), St. Sarmento Leite, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
,
Poli Mara Spritzer
8   Gynecological Endocrinology Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
10   Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology and Department of Physiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul State (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
,
Marcos Pascoal Pattussi
1   Post-Graduate Program in Collective Health, University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), Av. Unisinos, São Leopoldo, RS, Brazil
,
Maria Teresa Anselmo Olinto
1   Post-Graduate Program in Collective Health, University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), Av. Unisinos, São Leopoldo, RS, Brazil
11   Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Health Science of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 18 November 2016

accepted 10 January 2017

Publication Date:
30 May 2017 (online)

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Abstract

Although the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is complex and multifactorial, there is limited information if psychological factors, such as stress exposure, are involved in the etiology of MetS. Therefore, this study investigated the associations between MetS and cortisol levels and perceived stress levels among women shift workers in Southern Brazil. A matched case-control study was conducted, including 50 cases of MetS and 200 age-matched controls (±3 years, 4 for each case). Salivary cortisol levels were evaluated immediately after waking and one upon returning home from work. Perceived stress levels were measured by the Perceived Stress Scale with 10 items (PSS-10). Multivariate-adjusted associations between MetS and salivary cortisol levels and perceived stress levels were assessed by conditional logistic regression. Means±standard deviations of salivary cortisol levels were not significantly different between cases and controls either immediately after waking (5.37±4.10 vs. 6.03±5.39 nmol/l; p = 0.53) or after work (2.74±2.87 vs. 2.78±2.85 nmol/l; p = 0.93). There was no significant difference in perceived stress level between cases and controls (14.2±5.9 vs. 15.5±5.6; p = 0.15). No independent association was observed in the multivariate model between MetS and salivary cortisol level or perceived stress level after these exposures were stratified into tertiles. Overall, there was no difference between women with or without MetS in regard to the free salivary cortisol and perceived stress. Our results do not support an association between stress exposure and MetS among women shift workers.

Key words

cortisol - saliva - perceived stress - metabolic syndrome - women - shift work
 

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