The Study Of The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Fuction In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

Objective: To study the altered function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients by observing the concentration of morning cortisol and morning salivary cortisol response to awakening.Methods: The study subjects were divided into three groups, control group (normal glucose), IGR group (IGT and/or IFG) and T2DM group. On an ordinary working day, salivary cortisol samples were collected immediately after awakening and 15 minutes thereafter. All subjects accepted an oral glucose tolerance test routinely to assay fasting plasma glucose, 2 hours plasma glucose, fasting plasma insulin and fasting plasma cortisol, and their medical history and general clinical characteristics, such as body height, body weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, were collected. Morning cortisol concentrations (saliva and plasma) and MSCR (morning salivary cortisol rise) of the three groups were compared. MSCR = 15 minutes salivary cortisol - salivary cortisol after awakening.