Abstract
Cortisol is a stress hormone and chronic stress can increase visceral fat accumulation. Elevated levels of blood cortisol intensify central fat deposition importantly. This type of obesity is predicting all cause and cardiovascular disease mortality.
Aim:
We investigated the relationship between abdominal obesity and cortisol level and their risk factors in our obese patients group (totally 118). Some characteristics of the study group are as follows [mean± standard deviation (SD)]: age(years) 49±15, body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2) 32.2±7.5, waist circumference (cm) 98.9±16.3, waist/hip ratio (WHR) 0.87±0.07, systolic blood pressure (BP) (mmHg) 128.2±19.2, diastolic BP (mmHg) 78.3±9.6, basal insulin level (μU/mL) 12.21±11.41, C-peptide (ng/dL) 3.04±1.71, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (%) 5.74±1.35, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (ng/dL) 145.2±64, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (ng/dL) 43.31±12.2, triglyceride (ng/dL) 153.5±92.2, basal cholesterol level (μg/dL) 14.3±7.7.
Results:
When we divided the patients into two groups according to their basal cortisol levels (≤10μg and >10μg), we found elevated fasting blood glucoses, basal insulin (n.s.), C-peptide, prolactin, free thyroxine, and HbA1c levels, diminished HDL, increased waist circumference and WHR with relatively aged patients in the second group.
Conclusion:
Cortisol levels even at near upper limits may show an insulin resistance, impaired fasting glucose concentrations, and abdominal obesity.
Keywords: Abdominal obesity, cortisol
