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Intensive Care Medicine
Published in: Intensive Care Medicine 10/2007

01-10-2007 | Original

Evidence of altered cortisol metabolism in critically ill patients: a prospective study

Authors: Bala Venkatesh, Jeremy Cohen, Ingrid Hickman, Janelle Nisbet, Peter Thomas, Gregory Ward, Jonathan Hall, John Prins

Published in: Intensive Care Medicine | Issue 10/2007

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Abstract

Context

Changes in cortisol metabolism due to altered activity of the enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension, obesity and the metabolic syndrome. No published data exist on the activity of this enzyme in critical illness.

Objective

To investigate cortisol metabolism in critically ill patients utilising plasma cortisol: cortisone ratio as an index of 11β-HSD activity.

Setting

Tertiary level intensive care unit.

Patients

Three cohorts of critically ill patients: sepsis (n = 13); multitrauma (n = 20); and burns (n = 19).

Main outcome measures

Serial plasma cortisol: cortisone ratios.

Measurements and main results

Plasma total cortisol cortisone ratios were determined serially after admission to the intensive care unit. As compared with controls, the plasma cortisol:cortisone ratio was significantly elevated in the sepsis and trauma cohorts on day 1 (22 ± 9, p = 0.01, and 23 ± 19, p = 0.0003, respectively) and remained elevated over the study period. Such a relationship was not demonstrable in burns. The ratio was significantly correlated with APACHE II (r = 0.77, p = 0.0008) and Simplified Acute Physiology Score (r = 0.7, p = 0.003) only on day 7 and only in the burns cohort. There were no significant correlations observed between total plasma cortisol or cortisone and sickness severity in the sepsis and trauma cohorts.

Conclusions

In critically ill patients, there is evidence of altered cortisol metabolism due to an increase in 11β-HSD activity as demonstrated by an elevation of plasma cortisol: cortisone ratios. Further studies with larger sample sizes specifically designed to examine altered tissue 11β-HSD activity and its clinical significance and correlation with outcome are warranted.
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Metadata
Title
Evidence of altered cortisol metabolism in critically ill patients: a prospective study
Authors
Bala Venkatesh
Jeremy Cohen
Ingrid Hickman
Janelle Nisbet
Peter Thomas
Gregory Ward
Jonathan Hall
John Prins
Publication date
01-10-2007
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Intensive Care Medicine / Issue 10/2007
Print ISSN: 0342-4642
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1238
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-007-0727-7

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