Interrelationship between cortisol levels in plasma and the circadian rhythm of temperature, pulse and blood pressure in depressed patients with good and disturbed sleep.

Cortisol levels in plasma were measured in 122 depressed patients at 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. on the first day and at 8:00 a.m., 4:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on the second day after oral administration of dexamethasone. Some of the patients were studied before and after medication so the total number of plasma cortisol level examinations came to 173. All patients had to describe the state of their sleep with the help of a questionnaire. The temperature and pulse of 92 patients were taken hourly from 7:00 a.m. to 11:11 p.m. for two consecutive days where the total measurements came to 34. 27 patients out of these had their blood pressure taken. A control group of 65 healthy persons without somatic and psychic disorders was tested at the same time. We found out that plasma cortisol levels in patients with disturbed sleep were higher compared to the group with good sleep. It was also noticed that younger patients and males had higher plasma cortisol level. Patients with disturbed sleep had higher Mesors (midline-estimating statistic of rhythm, 'Mesor') of temperature, pulse and systolic blood pressure. Healthy persons had significantly lower pulse Mesors compared to patients with good and disturbed sleep. The percentage distribution of suppressors and nonsuppressors showed no differences by sex, age and sleep disturbances.