Relationship of nighttime arousals and nocturnal cortisol in IBS and normal subjects

Abstract

This study was a secondary analysis of data from a study investigating the association between inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS) and nocturnal cortisol and catecholamines in a sample of IBS subjects and healthy controls. A mediation analysis found evidence consistent with the existence of a mediating effect by sleep disruption of the association between IBS and nocturnal cortisol. An examination of the temporal relationship between nighttime awakenings and cortisol levels suggested that awakenings tended to precede a rise in cortisol, and that such a rise was followed by a subsequent decrease.