02895nas a2200361 4500008004100000022001400041245009200055210006900147260001300216300001100229490000700240520190600247653000902153653002202162653002002184653002802204653002102232653002102253653002102274653002802295653002202323653001102345653001102356653001902367653001702386653000902403653001502412653001702427100001602444700001802460700001902478856003602497 1995 eng d a0002-861400aHigh density lipoprotein cholesterol is associated with serum cortisol in older people.0 aHigh density lipoprotein cholesterol is associated with serum co c1995 Dec a1345-90 v433 a

OBJECTIVE: To determine the associations between serum cortisol and HDL cholesterol, other lipoprotein lipids and cardiovascular risk factors, carotid atherosclerosis, and clinical heart disease in older people.

DESIGN: A cross-sectional, observational, ancillary study of the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS).

POPULATION: A total of 245 community-dwelling people, 65 to 89 years old, were recruited consecutively for a 2-month period from the CHS cohort in Forsyth County, North Carolina.

METHODS: Cortisol was measured by radioimmunoassay in serum collected between 7:00 and 10:00 AM after an overnight fast. Cortisol levels were correlated with lipoprotein lipids, insulin, glucose, body mass index, waist-hip ratio, prevalent coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and carotid atherosclerosis by B-mode ultrasound.

RESULTS: Serum cortisol was correlated negatively (r = -.24) with body mass index and waist-hip ratio (r = -.16) but was not related significantly to fasting insulin or glucose. Cortisol was not associated significantly with triglyceride and low density lipoprotein cholesterol but showed a positive correlation (r = .21) with high density lipoprotein cholesterol. The relationship between cortisol and high density lipoprotein cholesterol persisted after adjustment for gender, body mass index, waist-hip ratio, cigarette and alcohol use, triglyceride level, and diabetes. There was a trend toward a negative correlation between cortisol and measures of carotid atherosclerosis, but no significant relationship was indicated between cortisol and prevalent coronary heart disease, hypertension, or diabetes.

CONCLUSION: Endogenous glucocorticoid levels correlated with HDL cholesterol levels and may play a role in the physiologic regulation of high density lipoprotein levels in older people.

10aAged10aBody Constitution10aBody Mass Index10aCardiovascular Diseases10aCarotid Stenosis10aCholesterol, HDL10aCoronary Disease10aCross-Sectional Studies10aDiabetes Mellitus10aFemale10aHumans10aHydrocortisone10aHypertension10aMale10aPrevalence10aRisk Factors1 aVarma, V, K1 aRushing, J, T1 aEttinger, W, H uhttps://chs-nhlbi.org/node/1412