Stress response axis activation in autoimmune disease and healthy people

The study sample consisted of 97 women divided into four groups: 37 healthy women (HW), 21 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 21 with Sjögren’s syndrome (SS), and 18 with systemic sclerosis (SSc). After being exposed to a stress task, participants’ skin conductance as well as salivary cortisol levels were measured in order to assess their response to psychological stress. Diurnal cortisol concentrations were assessed by measuring salivary cortisol in samples collected five times in the course of one day. In addition, self-administered questionnaires were used to assess psychological variables.