The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Enhanced feedback sensitivity to prednisolone in chronic fatigue syndrome

Enhanced feedback sensitivity to prednisolone in chronic fatigue syndrome
Enhanced feedback sensitivity to prednisolone in chronic fatigue syndrome
Objective: Enhancement of negative feedback control of the HPA axis in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has been reported using the low dose dexamethasone suppression test. We have developed the use of prednisolone (5 mg) as a more physiologically appropriate alternative to dexamethasone in the investigation of mild degrees of glucocorticoid resistance or supersensitivity. The objective of the study was to use this test to look for alterations in negative feedback control of the HPA axis in CFS patients.
Methods: Fifteen patients with CFS were recruited after fulfilling strict criteria including the absence of comorbid psychiatric diagnosis. They collected urine between 0900 and 1800 h and saliva at 0900 h pre-prednisolone. At midnight, they took prednisolone (5 mg) orally and then collected urine and saliva at the same intervals the following day.
Results: Salivary cortisol was lower in CFS subjects pre-prednisolone than controls. Urinary cortisol metabolites were lower in CFS subjects pre-prednisolone, but did not reach significance. Both measures were significantly lower in CFS subjects post-dose. Mean percentage suppression of both salivary cortisol and urinary cortisol metabolites was significantly higher in CFS compared to controls.
Conclusion: There is enhanced sensitivity of the HPA axis to negative feedback in CFS as demonstrated using the prednisolone suppression test. This provides further evidence of alterations in the control of the HPA axis in patients with established CFS.
adult, diagnostic use, hypothalamo-hypophyseal system, london, female, chronic, male, biochemical, prednisolone, urine, cortisol, hydrocortisone, drug effects
0306-4530
192-198
Jerjes, Walid K.
01785fad-a127-4acf-815a-9718d47ef4f9
Taylor, Norman F.
86ca7adb-6b6c-451a-a99e-95048f6bb993
Wood, Peter J.
30039979-9541-4a0a-8aef-0dfe53114e02
Cleare, Anthony J.
6b33ef43-ada9-4c94-8931-5f8bf5030d4a
Jerjes, Walid K.
01785fad-a127-4acf-815a-9718d47ef4f9
Taylor, Norman F.
86ca7adb-6b6c-451a-a99e-95048f6bb993
Wood, Peter J.
30039979-9541-4a0a-8aef-0dfe53114e02
Cleare, Anthony J.
6b33ef43-ada9-4c94-8931-5f8bf5030d4a

Jerjes, Walid K., Taylor, Norman F., Wood, Peter J. and Cleare, Anthony J. (2007) Enhanced feedback sensitivity to prednisolone in chronic fatigue syndrome. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 32 (2), 192-198. (doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2006.12.005).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Objective: Enhancement of negative feedback control of the HPA axis in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has been reported using the low dose dexamethasone suppression test. We have developed the use of prednisolone (5 mg) as a more physiologically appropriate alternative to dexamethasone in the investigation of mild degrees of glucocorticoid resistance or supersensitivity. The objective of the study was to use this test to look for alterations in negative feedback control of the HPA axis in CFS patients.
Methods: Fifteen patients with CFS were recruited after fulfilling strict criteria including the absence of comorbid psychiatric diagnosis. They collected urine between 0900 and 1800 h and saliva at 0900 h pre-prednisolone. At midnight, they took prednisolone (5 mg) orally and then collected urine and saliva at the same intervals the following day.
Results: Salivary cortisol was lower in CFS subjects pre-prednisolone than controls. Urinary cortisol metabolites were lower in CFS subjects pre-prednisolone, but did not reach significance. Both measures were significantly lower in CFS subjects post-dose. Mean percentage suppression of both salivary cortisol and urinary cortisol metabolites was significantly higher in CFS compared to controls.
Conclusion: There is enhanced sensitivity of the HPA axis to negative feedback in CFS as demonstrated using the prednisolone suppression test. This provides further evidence of alterations in the control of the HPA axis in patients with established CFS.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: February 2007
Keywords: adult, diagnostic use, hypothalamo-hypophyseal system, london, female, chronic, male, biochemical, prednisolone, urine, cortisol, hydrocortisone, drug effects

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 59884
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/59884
ISSN: 0306-4530
PURE UUID: 01ad9399-8824-4288-bc6e-c6a562dc0f9b

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 05 Sep 2008
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 11:18

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Walid K. Jerjes
Author: Norman F. Taylor
Author: Peter J. Wood
Author: Anthony J. Cleare

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×