Fig. 1
From: The role of pro-opiomelanocortin in the ACTH–cortisol dissociation of sepsis
Plasma cortisol, ACTH and POMC concentrations in critically ill patients. a During the first week of critical illness (human sepsis study 1). b Beyond the first week of critical illness (human sepsis study 2). Top panels display morning plasma POMC concentrations, middle panels morning plasma ACTH concentrations and lower panels morning plasma cortisol concentrations. Diamonds (study 1) and circles (study 2) and whiskers represent median and interquartile ranges of plasma POMC concentrations of critically ill patients per day. The solid line connects the medians of each day. The light gray area represents the interquartile range of morning values in healthy controls (n = 20). The dashed line represents the interval between the median concentration of cortisol, ACTH or POMC during the last ICU day and those of the sample taken seven days after ICU discharge. *p < 0.05 between critically ill patients and healthy controls. †p < 0.05 between LD and LD + 7 (within-subjects effect of time)