Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2014) 35 P950 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.35.P950

1Endocrine Unit, Elena Venizelou Hospital, Athens, Greece; 2Second Department of Intensive Care, University of Athens Medical School, Attikon Hospital, Athens, Greece; 3Endocrine Department, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.


Introduction: The interplay of cortisol (F) and adipose tissue is complex and in many aspects is still obscure. Plasma F has been shown to be positively associated with lipolysis.

Aim: To study in adipose tissue indices of lipolysis vs tissue F with microdialysis (MD).

Subjects and methods: We studied 46 mechanically ventilated patients with a diagnosis of septic/non-septic shock, systemic inflammatory response syndrome or severe sepsis. Upon ICU admission a MD catheter was inserted under sterile conditions into the subcutaneous adipose tissue of the upper thigh. Excluding patients on steroid therapy, on day 2 (n=26), day 3 (n=24) and day 4 (n=22) MD samples were collected six times per day for MD glycerol (MD GLYC; used as an index of lipolysis) and tissue F. The mean of these six collections was used for analysis (normal values for adipose tissue GLYC <200 μmol/l). Statistics were done with Spearman’s rank correlation.

Results: Most samplings (44/72) indicated accentuated lipolysis with above-normal MD GLYC levels. MD GLYC was weakly correlated to MD F (r=0.246, P=0.038).

Discussion: We verified the well-known association (though modestly so) between lipolysis and F (and in particular with interstitial/tissue levels of it). Changes in interstitial/tissue F may not be reflected in plasma (total) F concentrations. Thus it is interesting that we observed an – albeit weak – association between tissue lipolysis (via MD GLYC levels) and MD F.

Article tools

My recent searches

No recent searches.

My recently viewed abstracts