Associations of Serum Cortisol with Cardiovascular Risk and Mortality in Patients Referred to Coronary Angiography

Context: Serum cortisol may be associated with cardiovascular risk factors and mortality in patients undergoing coronary angiography, but previous data on this topic are limited and controversial. Objective: We evaluated whether morning serum cortisol is associated with cardiovascular risk factors, lymphocyte subtypes, and mortality. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study performed at a tertiary care centre in south-west Germany between 1997 and 2000. We included 3052 study participants who underwent coronary angiography. The primary outcome measures were cardiovascular risk factors, lymphocyte subtypes, and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Results: Serum cortisol was associated with an adverse cardiovascular risk profile, but there was no significant association with coronary artery disease or acute coronary syndrome. In a subsample of 2107 participants, serum cortisol was positively associated with certain lymphocyte subsets, including CD16+CD56+ (natural killer) cells (P<0.001). Comparing the fourth versus the first serum cortisol quartile, the crude Cox proportional hazard ratios (with 95% CIs) were 1.22 (1.00-1.47) for all-cause and 1.32 (1.04-1.67) for cardiovascular mortality, respectively. After adjustments for various cardiovascular risk factors, these associations were attenuated to 0.93 (0.76-1.14) for all-cause, and 0.97 (0.76-1.25) for cardiovascular mortality, respectively. Conclusions: Despite significant associations with classic cardiovascular risk factors and natural killer cells, serum cortisol was not a significant and independent predictor of mortality in patients referred to coronary angiography. These findings might reflect that adverse cardiovascular effects of cortisol could be counterbalanced by some cardiovascular protective actions.

Automated summary

The study found associations between serum cortisol and cardiovascular risk factors and natural killer cells, but not with coronary artery disease or acute coronary syndrome. Serum cortisol was not a significant independent predictor of mortality.