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The association between the serum total cortisol as an adrenal response biomarker and severe community-acquired pneumonia

Egyptian Journal of Bronchology volume 13, page 100 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Introduction

The serum total cortisol is a biomarker to adrenal response in stressful conditions including infection. This study aims to estimate the serum total cortisol level in severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and to study its relation to the severity of illness.

Patients and methods

The study included 50 patients, who with severe CAP were admitted to the ICU of National Institute of Chest Diseases (Embaba), and 20 healthy adults as the control. Ethical approval done by ASU ethical approval team as the paper was taken from masters thesis. The severity of CAP was estimated using pneumonia severity index (PSI) and CURB65 scores. The two groups were subjected to the estimation of serum total cortisol level (8 a.m.) by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.

Results

Serum total cortisol level significantly increased in the patient group than in the control group (20.356±11.198 and 15.070±1.384 μg/dl, respectively). Serum total cortisol level was positively correlated with PSI but not with CURB65 score.

Conclusion

Severe CAP is associated with increased serum total cortisol level compared to normal. Serum total cortisol level was positively correlated with the disease severity as estimated by PSI.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Chest Diseases and Tuberculosis, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

    Magdy M. Khalil & Maryam A. Abd Al-Kader

  2. Departments of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

    Maram M. Maher

  3. Departments of Chest department, National Institute of Chest Diseases, Ain Shams University, 11936, Embaba, Giza, Egypt

    Eman S. Kamal MBBCh

Authors
  1. Magdy M. Khalil
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  2. Maram M. Maher
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  3. Maryam A. Abd Al-Kader
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  4. Eman S. Kamal MBBCh
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eman S. Kamal MBBCh.

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Khalil, M.M., Maher, M.M., Abd Al-Kader, M.A. et al. The association between the serum total cortisol as an adrenal response biomarker and severe community-acquired pneumonia. Egypt J Bronchol 13, 100 (2019). https://doi.org/10.4103/ejb.ejb_84_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/ejb.ejb_84_17

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