Two research teams determined the feasibility of saliva collection for
cortisol measurement in nursing home residents with advanced dementia. Study
aims were to:
(a) determine if sufficient saliva could be obtained for assay and
(b)
examine whether cortisol values exhibited range and variability for meaningful
interpretation. Useable samples were consistent across sites, suggesting that
saliva collection for cortisol assay is a viable method in this setting.
Cortisol values showed range and variability. More than half of the residents
showed the normal adult pattern of high morning levels decreasing throughout
the day. A third of the participants demonstrated an increase in the evening
cortisol levels, while the remaining profiles were flat, suggesting
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) dysregulation in this population.
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