Cortisol level as a marker of adaptation processes in children with acute respiratory viral infections

Aim: to study changes in the level of cortisol in children in the acute period of respiratory viral infection, depending on the etiology, severity of the disease and the presence and nature of the developed complications to establish an adaptation option. Material and Methods. 74 patients aged 1 to 10 years on day 1-3 from the beginning ofARVI (adeno-virus, parainfluenza, respiratory syncytial infection and mixed infection) and 15 healthy children were examined. The etiology ofARVI was established by PCR. Patients in the first three days from the beginning ofARVI were determined by the level of cortisol by the method, according to the indications, chest x-ray examination was performed. The type of adaptive response in children was determined by the value of the lymphocytic index and the level of cortisol in the blood serum. Results. The study showed that in children with ARVI there is a different reaction of the adrenal glands to the disease, which is characterized by both an increase and a decrease in their function. An increase in cortisol concentration characteristic of an adequate adaptation reaction was found in 59.2% of patients. In 12.3% of children noted a decrease in cortisol compared with the control group, in the remaining patients (28.5%) cortisol content did not differ from that in healthy children. Adaptation by the reaction type of "stress" alarm stage was observed in 37.1 % of children, the reaction of "stress" in the stage of resistance at 14.3% of patients, the reaction of "stress" with the development