Multivariate Statistical Analysis as a Supplementary Tool for Interpretation of Variations in Salivary Cortisol Level in Women with Major Depressive Disorder

Figure 3

PCA loadings plot illustrating the impact of fourteen raw variables on the scattering of ninety-seven patients under antidepressant therapy. The Arabic digits denote the raw variables as follows: 1: patients age, 2: multiplicity of hospitalization, 3: period of hospitalization, 4: initial cortisol level, 5: final cortisol level, 6: the highest cortisol concentration, 7: the lowest cortisol concentration, 8: difference between the highest and lowest cortisol concentration, 9: mean concentration, 10: median determined during the whole period of hospitalization, 11: mean level of hormone during the 30% of the hospitalization period, 12: mean level of hormone during the 60% of the hospitalization period, 13: mean level of hormone during the 90% of the hospitalization period, 14: standard deviation of the mean concentration, 15: relative standard deviation of the mean concentration, and 16: antidepressant.