Hair cortisol: A new tool for evaluating stress in programs of stress management.

IGLESIAS, SILVIA; JACOBSEN, D; GONZALEZ, DIEGO; AZZARA SERGIO; REPETTO EM; JAMARDO J; GOMEZ,S; MESCH V; BERG G; FABRE, B

LIFE SCIENCES

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Año: 2015 vol. 141 p. 188 - 192

0024-3205

Aims: Longitudinal and experimental studies have shown that chronic stress contributes to the onset and progression of different diseases. Although it is not possible to eliminate stress completely, people can learn to manage it by participating in different kind of stress management interventions. This study examined the effectiveness of stress management interventions on neuroendocrine responses in stressed students and health professionals, by measuring hair cortisol in comparison to salivary cortisol. Main methods: Salivary and hair cortisol measurements were performed in 37 subjects (31 women, 6 men; mean age 34.0 ± 10.6 years) who attended to a Coping Stress and Quality of Care Program at the University of Buenos Aires. Cortisol was measured at the beginning and at the end of the program. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory STAI was used to evaluate state and trait anxiety. Key findings: In subjects who completed the program, no differences were observed in salivary cortisol levels between first and last session. However, in these subjects, hair cortisol at last session was significantly lower than hair cortisol at first session. Significance: Hair cortisol appears to be a better biomarker than salivary cortisol for evaluation of the effectiveness of a stress reduction program and it seems to be a better indicator of stress system dysregulation as well.