Cognitive impairment in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients can predict poorer quality of life, dementia, and increased mortality. This study aimed to determine the association between long-term cortisol elevations and cognitive function in CAD patients. Participants were recruited at the beginning of a 1 year cardiac rehabilitation program and followed forward. Composite Z-scores were computed from tests measuring memory and executive function at baseline and 1 year. Cortisol deposition (3 months) was measured from a 20 mg, 3 cm hair sample. Analyses of covariance showed less improvement in memory function (F1,50=4.721, p=0.035) but not executive function (F1,49=0.318, p=0.575) in patients dichotomized into a high cortisol group based on a previously established reference range. Prolonged cortisol elevation may be associated with cognitive changes in subjects with CAD.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/31426 |
| Date | 20 December 2011 |
| Creators | Saleem, Mahwesh |
| Contributors | Lanctôt, Krista |
| Source Sets | University of Toronto |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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