ArticleLife (Basel, Switzerland)2024
Hair Cortisol/DHEA-S Ratios in Healthcare Workers and Their Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study.
Article in Life (Basel, Switzerland), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- From lifetime stressor exposure to daily stress experience: Associations with hair cortisol.Comprehensive psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026Article
- Receiving caregiver support and its association with hair hormones in people living with Alzheimer's disease: The role of caregivers' perspective taking.Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026Article
- Impact of a High-Fat High-Carbohydrate (HFHC) Diet at a Young Age on Steroid Hormone Hair Concentrations in Mice: A Comparison with a Control Diet and Nutraceutical Supplementation.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
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7 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundUnlike psychological distress, which has been extensively studied during the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of the pandemic on stress hormones has been overlooked. The aim of this study is to examine the hair cortisol/dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) ratios as markers of HPA axis dysregulation in healthcare workers and their patients.
methodsA total of 200 healthcare workers and 161 "patients" patients with special healthcare needs due to chronic illness or motor disabilities were included in this study. The hormone concentrations were measured using a radioimmunoassay.
resultsOur results show that the patients had significantly higher cortisol/DHEA-S ratios than the workers. A high cortisol/DHEA-S ratio in the patients reflects higher cortisol concentrations (
conclusionsAssessing the hair cortisol/DHEA-S ratios in both healthcare workers and the patients allowed us to identify a non-homeostatic condition that could lead to disease and to understand psychophysical well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also play a crucial role in preventive and personalized medicine.
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