Table 3.
Diurnal ACTH and cortisol parameters in IFN-α-treated and control subjects
| IFN-α (n = 20) |
Control (n = 13) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visit 1 | Visit 2 | Delta | Visit 1 | Visit 2 | Delta | |
| ACTH (mean, s.d.) | ||||||
| Slope (Ne—6) | −16.7 (10.4) | −5.7 (10.0)*† | 10.3 (12.7) | −11.0 (9.7) | −14.0 (14.6) | −3.2 (17.5) |
| a.m. maximum | 33.6 (12.1) | 29.4 (16.0) | −4.2 (11.7) | 26.3 (12.1) | 25.3 (11.1) | 1.0 (6.6) |
| p.m. minimum | 12.7 (4.3) | 16.7 (9.0)* | 4.0 (7.0) | 13.6 (6.7) | 12.2 (6.0) | −1.4 (5.1) |
| Mean diurnal value | 23.6 (9.1) | 23.7 (10.9) | 0.1 (5.8) | 22.2 (12.5) | 20.1 (10.1) | −1.6 (9.5) |
| Cortisol (mean, s.d.) | ||||||
| Slope | −0.10 (0.03) | −0.07 (0.03)*† | 0.02 (0.04) | −0.09 (0.05) | −0.11 (0.06) | −0.02 (0.05) |
| a.m. maximum | 14.2 (3.9) | 12.8 (3.4) | −1.4 (3.2) | 12.4 (2.5) | 12.6 (1.9) | 0.2 (3.1) |
| p.m. minimum | 3.7 (1.5) | 4.4 (1.7)*† | 0.7 (1.6) | 3.5 (1.3) | 3.2 (1.5) | −0.3 (1.0) |
| Mean diurnal value | 8.4 (2.1) | 7.8 (2.2) | 0.6 (1.8) | 7.8 (2.0) | 7.7 (1.7) | −0.04 (2.3) |
Slope-β value of the regression of log transformed plasma ACTH and cortisol concentrations measured from 0900 to 2100 hours (larger β-values—closer to 0—reflect a flatter slope); a.m. maximum-highest hormone value between 0900 to 1100 hours; p.m. minimum-lowest value between 1900 to 2100 hours.
*
Significantly different from visit 1 (P < 0.05 using Student-Newman-Keuls method);
†
Significantly different from respective control value (P < 0.05 using Student-Newman-Keuls method). s.d., standard deviation.