Cortisol Analysis Using a Novel Method of Saliva Collection: Method and Application in Preterm Infants

Marliese Dion Nist, Nicole Cistone, Claire Packer, Abigail B. Shoben, Christine A. Fortney, Rita H. Pickler, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, and Burn Intensive Care Unit, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Division of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University

Biological Research For Nursing: Integrating Biobehavioral Research into Health Care

Published online on April 06, 2026

Abstract

Biological Research For Nursing, Volume 28, Issue 3, Page 479-488, July 2026.
Preterm infants experience frequent stressors that activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Cortisol can be readily quantified in saliva samples, but sufficient saliva volumes are difficult to collect from preterm infants. We report the ...