Table 3 Baseline cortisol mean/median values in each arm-

3-hour cortisol

(nmol/L)

4.99 ± 4.7

4.73 (2.7–7.4)

8.69 ± 5.6

7.93 (4.3–13.3)

6.10 ± 3.3

5.08 (3.4–9.5)

-

6-hour cortisol

(nmol/L)

5.69 ± 4.5

4.23 (2.2–8.9)

4.01 ± 2.1

3.77 (2.3–5.7)

4.62 ± 1.8

4.13 (3.09–6.3)

-

12-hour cortisol

(nmol/L)

2.28 ± 1.2

2.04 (1.1–3.5)

2.90 ± 2.1

2.04 (1.6–3.9)

2.53 ± 1.34

2.23 (1.9–2.4)

-

Ln diurnal slope^†

(Ln nmol/L/hr)

-0.09 ± 0.07

-0.12 ± 0.09

-0.10 ± 0.07

F = 0.24, p = 0.79

Cortisol AUCg

(nmol.hr/L)

39.9 ± 23.7

29.9 (24.9–64.6)

39.8 ± 13.4

42.9 (28.8–49.3)

37.5 ± 12.6

31.5 (29.1–51.5)

-

Ln cortisol AUCg^†

(Ln nmol.hr/L)

3.51 ± 0.62

3.59 ± 0.40

3.57 ± 0.32

F = 0.06, p = 0.94