1- Skull-Base Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
2- Department of Emergency Medicine, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
3- Anesthesiology Research Center, Loghman Hakim Medical Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
4- Brain Mapping Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:
Introduction: The outbreak due to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is n global public health emergency and challenges psychological resilience. The central nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system are complex interacting systems. Cortisol has been implicated as the cause of a wide range of mental and physical health disorders; however, the impact of cortisol on outcomes in patients with COVID-19 is not clear.
Methods: The current study enrolled patients with COVID-19 (onset of disease within 7 days of the first symptom) to evaluate the serum concentration of cortisol and levels of anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to investigate a possible relationship between cortisol, depression, and anxiety levels and outcomes of patients with COVID-19.
Results: A total of 30 patients with COVID-19 were studied. The levels of cortisol and HADS score in patients who died of Covid-19 were significantly higher in comparison with surviving patients (P<0.017 and P<0.001 respectively). We also found that the HADS score was positively correlated with serum cortisol levels (r= 0.842, P=0.004).
Conclusion: Our findings showed that stress and anxiety are associated with patients’ outcomes. Psychological interventions can improve the mental health of vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 epidemic.
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● Level of cortisol may have a role in the outcomes of COVID-19 patients.
● A positive correlation between cortisol and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) score.
● Higher score of HADS in non-survival compared with surviving patients.
Plain Language Summary
The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a wide range of disease severity among the patients. Prior studies have demonstrated that psychological stress plays a vital role in the vulnerability, severity, and recurrence of acute respiratory infection. Cortisol has been implicated as the cause of a wide range of mental and physical health outcomes. However, the impact of cortisol on outcomes in patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) is not clear. We found that the levels of cortisol in patients who died of Covid-19 were significantly higher in comparison with surviving patients. We also found that the cortisol level was correlated with the anxiety and depression levels.
Type of Study:
Original |
Subject:
Clinical Neuroscience Received: 2020/05/3 | Accepted: 2020/06/12 | Published: 2020/06/14