TABLE 1.
Study cohort characteristics, according to cortisol levels
| Low cortisol, (≤170 nmol/L) | Normal cortisol, (>171 to <549 nmol/L) | High cortisol, (≥550 nmol/L) | P | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child characteristics | ||||
| (n, %) | 14 (12%) | 90 (76%) | 14 (12%) | |
| Cortisol nmol/L, mean (SD) | 122.4 (39.9) | 329.5 (97.6) | 620.9 (53.5) | <0.001*** |
| Age, mean (SD) | 9.9 (5.4) | 11.9 (5.1) | 12.4 (5.9) | 0.4 |
| Female sex, n (%) | 9 (64%) | 40 (44%) | 4 (29%) | 0.2 |
| Maternal characteristics | ||||
| Prenatal PTSD, n (%) | 7 (50%) | 65 (72%) | 13 (93%) | 0.04* |
| Prenatal smoking, n (%) | 1 (7%) | 33 (37%) | 2 (14%) | 0.03* |
| Age, mean (SD) | 42.1 (7.5) | 42.8 (5.6) | 45.6 (5.5) | 0.2 |
| Secondary education and above, n (%) | 5 (36%) | 20 (22%) | 4 (29%) | 0.5 |
| City dwelling, n (%) | 12 (86%) | 59 (66%) | 5 (36%) | 0.02* |
| Marital status, n (%) | 11 (78%) | 83 (92%) | 9 (64%) | 0.008** |
Abbreviations: nmol/L, nanomoles per litre; PTSD, post‐traumatic stress disorder; SD, standard deviation.
* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001.