Increases in stress hormone levels in a UK population during the COVID-19 pandemic: A prospective cohort study

Jia, Ru; Ayling, Kieran; Coupland, Carol; Chalder, Trudie; Massey, Adam; Nater, Urs; Broadbent, Elizabeth; Gasteiger, Norina; Gao, Wei; Kirschbaum, Clemens; Vedhara, Kavita

Abstract

Background: Research suggests that psychological factors may influence vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2 infection, although the mechanisms are unclear. Purpose: We examined whether the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis may be a possible mechanism, by measuring the relationship between indices of psychological distress and cortisone in hair (hairE) in a UK cohort during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Participants (N = 827) provided two 3 cm hair samples over a 6-month period between April-September 2020. Samples reflected hairE in the 3 months prior to the collection date. Results: HairE in the first samples (T1: commenced April 2020) did not differ significantly from pre-pandemic population norms. However, hairE in the second samples (T2: commenced July 2020) were significantly higher than T1 and pre-pandemic population norms, with a 23% increase between T1 and T2. Linear regressions, controlling for age and gender, demonstrated that at both timepoints, hairE levels were greatest in people with a history of mental health difficulties. In addition, stress reported at T1 predicted greater hairE at T2 and a greater change in hairE between T1 and T2. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that during the COVID-19 pandemic hairE was substantially elevated across a large community cohort, with greatest levels in those with a history of mental health difficulties and greatest changes in those reporting greatest levels of stress early in the pandemic. Further research is required with verified SARS-CoV-2 outcomes to determine whether the HPA axis is among the mechanisms by which a history of mental health difficulties and stress influence SARS-CoV-2 outcomes.

Citation

Jia, R., Ayling, K., Coupland, C., Chalder, T., Massey, A., Nater, U., Broadbent, E., Gasteiger, N., Gao, W., Kirschbaum, C., & Vedhara, K. (2023). Increases in stress hormone levels in a UK population during the COVID-19 pandemic: A prospective cohort study. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 148, Article 105992. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105992

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 24, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Dec 7, 2022
• Publication Date: 2023-02
• Deposit Date: Dec 2, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 7, 2022
• Journal: Psychoneuroendocrinology
• Print ISSN: 0306-4530
• Electronic ISSN: 1873-3360
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 148
• Article Number: 105992
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105992
• Keywords: Biological Psychiatry; Psychiatry and Mental health; Endocrine and Autonomic Systems; Endocrinology; Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/14320495
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030645302200333X