[Salivary cortisol among subjects with and without Cushing syndrome]

Abstract

Background: Salivary cortisol measurement is recommended as a screening mea-sure when a Cushing Syndrome is suspected. The proposed cut-off point for a probably diagnosis is 0.16 ug/dL.

Aim: To determine salivary cortisol concentrations during the day inpatients with and without Cushing syndrome and with depression.

Material and methods: Salivary cortisol was measured by competitive enzyme immuno assay (EIA), in samples obtained at 8:00,15:00 and 23:00 h in 78 patients without Cushing syndrome, aged 40 +/- 15 years (28 males), 30 patients with depression aged 40 +/- 12 years (nine males) and four females with Cushing syndrome aged 42 +/- 17 years.

Results: Salivary cortisol was higher among patients with Cushing syndrome than the rest of patients. A salivary cortisol over the cut-off value of O.16 ug/dL was found in 42% of subjects without Cushing syndrome and in 33% of patients with depression. Median values among patients without Cushing syndrome, depression and with Cushing syndrome were 0.21 (range < 0.1-1.42), 0.2 (range 0,12-0.9) and 0.58 (range 0.37-1.1) ug/dL, respectively

Conclusions: Salivary cortisol measured by EIA method was higher among patients with Cushing syndrome but there was a great overlap with values obtained in subjects without the syndrome.