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Table of Contents
Scalp Hair
Scalp hair samples were collected from ~59,000 adult participants during 2A Visit 2. The main aim of hair collection was to use the samples for the assessment of hormone levels, e.g. cortisol (section:physical state).
Background
Cortisol levels are typically assessed in serum, saliva, or urine samples. However, due to the circadian rhythm of cortisol, its pulsatile secretion, and the daily variation due to changing circumstances like acute stress, these samples provide non-representative snapshots of chronic cortisol levels in the human body. For that reason, a novel non-invasive parameter to measure cortisol using scalp hair was developed 1), providing the unique opportunity to measure long-term cortisol levels that reflect the mean levels of several months (since hair grows with an average of 1 cm per month). Using this technique, it is now possible to study chronic cortisol levels over time in very large cohorts 2).
Protocol
During 2A visit 2, participants were asked to provide a lock of hair. Nurse practitioners that assisted in the visit cut off a lock of hair close to the scalp using clean scissors. The lock of hair was placed in an envelope, clearly marked and registered, and stored at room temperature.
Participants also filled in a questionnaire about their hair. See the list of quesitons below.
Publications using Lifelines data
- Wester et al. (2017) Hair analysis reveals subtle HPA axis suppression associated with use of local corticosteroids: The Lifelines cohort study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 80: 1-6
- van Manen et al. (2019) Scalp hair cortisol and testosterone levels in patients with sarcoidosis. Plos ONE 14(6): e0215763
- Savas et al. (2019) Hair glucocorticoids as biomarker for endogenous Cushing's syndrome: validation in two independent cohorts. Neuroendocrinology 109(2):171-178
Questionnaire
Participants provided the following information about their hair via a questionnaire:
| Questions English | Questions Dutch | Variable | Assessment | Age |
| Could you indicate which of the following disorders you have (had)? Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME). | Chronisch vermoeidheidssysndroom/ Kunt u aankruisen welke van de volgende aandoeningen u hebt of hebt gehad? | HEALTH72I1 | 1A NEXT | 18+ |
| Chronic fatigue disorder (ME) / Did the health problems listed below start since the last time you filled in the LifeLines questionnaire? | Chronisch vermoeidheidssyndroom (CVS/ ME) / Hebt u onderstaande gezondheidsproblemen gekregens sinds de vorige keer dat u een lifelines vragenlijst invulde? | HEALTH100H8 | 1B 1C 2A | 18+ |
| The last two weeks in general: I do not wake up rested | De laatste twee weken in het algemeen: ik word niet uitgerust wakker | FATIGUE1 | 2A NEXT | 18+ |
| To what extent did your tiredness hamper your normal activities (both work outside the home and household chores) in the past 6 months? | In welke mate heeft moeheid u in de afgelopen 6 maanden belemmerd bij uw normale werkzaamheden (zowel werk buitenshuis als huishoudelijk werk)? | FATIGUE2 | 2A NEXT | 18+ |
| I have had my tiredness complaints for about: xx years and xx months | Mijn moeheidsklachten heb ik nu ongeveer: xx jaar en xx maanden | FATIGUE3/A/B | 2A NEXT | 18+ |
| Tiredness / Can you indicate how much you suffered from this problem in the past year? | Moeheid / Wil je aangeven hoeveel last je het afgelopen jaar van deze problemen hebt gehad? | ACHHEALTH43L | 1A 2A | 13-17 |
| Tiredness / Can you indicate how much your child suffered from this problem in the past year? | Moeheid / Wilt u aangeven hoeveel last uw kind het afgelopen jaar van onderstaande problemen heeft gehad? | CHHEALTH41L | 2A | 4-12 |
