Aim: 

Cortisol is one of the factors regulating glucose metabolism; which is obvious in diseases with its increased secretion. However, some studies showed associations of physiological levels of cortisol and free cortisol with insulin sensitivity. The aim of our study was to evaluate this association in respect of adipose tissue parameters.

Methods: 

60 healthy volunteers were examined (36M/24F, age 29.2 ± 6.4 y., BMI 26.5 ± 5.6 kg/m²). Insulin sensitivity was measured by hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp (M/I); blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol (TCh), HDL cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), cortisol, transcortin (CBG) and free cortisol baseline levels were measured. Accumulation of fat in abdominal region was expressed as waist circumference. Adipocytes' cell size (ACS) was measured in subcutaneous adipose tissue obtained from biopsy in umbilical region.

Results: 

Correlation analysis showed known relationship of BMI and waist circumference to insulin sensitivity, BP, TCh, HDL, TG and also relation of ACS to insulin sensitivity. However, we did not find any relationship of cortisol or free cortisol levels to measured parameters. Levels of CBG correlated with HDL. Results in males and females were comparable. Using linear regression analysis, independent predictors for insulin sensitivity (M/I) were BMI(-), ACS(-), sex (M>F); for TCh: BMI(+), age(+), CBG(+); for TG: waist circumference (+); for HDL: CBG(+) and for BP: waist circumference(+).

Conclusions: 

In our study, we confirmed relationship of adiposity parameters (BMI, waist circumference, ACS) to insulin sensitivity. The relationship of cortisol or free cortisol to insulin sensitivity, lipid spectrum or BP was not significant.

Study was supported by grant APVT-51-040602