Context: Severe systemic infection leads to hypercortisolism. Reduced cortisol binding
proteins may accentuate the free cortisol elevations seen in systemic infection. Recently, low …

Summary objective Serum cortisol levels rise in response to the stress of critical illness but
the optimal range of serum cortisol in such settings is not clearly defined. The objectives of …

The prognostic value of basal and corticotropin-stimulated cortisol concentration in patients
with sepsis remains a controversial issue. In a retrospective cohort study, 82 consecutive …

BACKGROUND: Severe sepsis activates the hypothalamopituitary axis, increasing cortisol
production. In some studies, hydrocortisone substitution based on an adrenocorticotropic …

Purpose To compare inter-laboratory and inter-assay measurements of total cortisol in
patients with septic shock and to evaluate current recommendations for diagnosis of …

Objectives: To compare cortisol levels during" low-dose" hydrocortisone therapy to basal
and ACTH-stimulated endogenous levels and to assess whether clinical course and the …

Objective: To refine the value of baseline and adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH)-
stimulated cortisol levels in relation to mortality from severe sepsis or septic shock. Design …

Background Because more than 90 percent of circulating cortisol in human serum is protein-
bound, changes in the binding proteins can alter measured serum total cortisol …

ContextThe hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is a major determinant of the host response
to stress. The relationship between its activation and patient outcome is not known …

Objective: To study the time course of corticosteroid binding-globulin (CBG) level and the
free cortisol index (FCI) in comparison with total cortisol and ACTH concentrations during …