Salivary Alpha-amylase Levels Research Articles

Evaluation of Salivary Alpha-Amylase level in Iraqi children with positive family history of hypertension

This study accomplished to determine levels of salivary Alpha-Amylase (sAA) in Iraqi children with positive family history of hypertension, Hypertension was believed to be a risk factor in 18% of all deaths in 2010 (9.4 million globally). This study included one hundred children from primary school aged 6 to 13 years, with a focus in child welfare and family health history, with an emphasis on close relatives' hypertension reputations, with hypertension close relatives record categories identified by 1st and 2nd relatives, after documenting the full details, the burden was assessed for the children's families. The influence of age is confirmed by a correlation study of our own numbers, which shows a positive correlation. The disparity between age and salivary amylase level was important, with age group (12-13) years students having a higher mean salivary amylase level (309.7 U/L) than age group (6-7) years students (270.6 U/L). The gender outcome did not exceed statistical significance, but the gap was not important, which may be due to the limited sample size.

The Correlation between Pain, Stress, and Oral Function in Oral and Maxillofacial Infection and Trauma Patients

Background: The relationship between stress and acute pain has been documented in previous studies. Yet, very few studies have evaluated the relationship between stress and acute orofacial pain and its impact on jaw functional activities. Objective: The objective of the current study was to evaluate the correlation between acute orofacial pain, stress, and the limitation of the jaw and facial activities in oral and maxillofacial infection and oral and maxillofacial trauma patients. Methods: The current study recruited 50 (16 male, 34 female) patients from the Emergency Unit of the Ujung Berung Hospital, Bandung Indonesia. Twenty-five patients were those who had oral and maxillofacial trauma, and the rest were those who had an oral and maxillofacial infection. The patient’s stress level was evaluated by measuring their salivary alpha-amylase level, the pain level was measured by using the numeric rating scale (NRS), whilst the limitation of the jaw and facial activities was measured by using the Jaw and Facial Activities Limitation (JFAL) Questionnaire. All data were analysed using the Spearman correlation test. Results: Based on the analysis, it was revealed that there was no significant correlation (r = 0.176, p= 0.22) between stress and pain level. When associated with jaw and facial activities limitation, there was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.555, p < 0.01) found between pain level and jaw and facial activity limitation. Conclusion: The current study concluded that there was a significant positive correlation found between pain and jaw activity limitation on oral and maxillofacial infection and trauma patients.

Use of a non-invasive biomarker salivary alpha-amylase to assess the role of probiotics in sleep regulation and stress attenuation in surgical patients: A randomised double-blind clinical trial.

Background and Aims:The influence of gut microbiota on human behaviour, stress and sleep is currently a novel topic of research. A prospective double-blind randomised trial was planned to find out whether probiotics by alteration of the gut microbiome can allay surgery-related stress and improve sleep.Methods:A total of 160 elective surgical patients were randomised to receive either probiotic or placebo capsule twice daily for four and a half consecutive preoperative days. They were subjected to the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) questionnaire, a psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) and estimation of salivary alpha-amylase (SAA), a well-known biomarker of stress on the evening of admission and on the evening just before the day of scheduled surgery. Data were analysed using Chi-square test, Student's t-test and Mann–Whitney test.Results:On comparing between the two groups, there was a significant difference in PSS scores, SAA levels and PVT scores after probiotic/placebo therapy. There was a decrease in the PSS scores by 11.38% (P < 0.05) and SAA levels by 11.38% (P < 0.05) and an increase in the PVT scores (12.13%, P < 0.05) following probiotic treatment.There was a mean difference of 52.85 in SAA levels in probiotic group and − 69.32 in placebo group with a definite fall in SAA levels in probiotic group, which showed that these patients had reduced stress levels and improved psychomotor vigilance implying improved sleep.Conclusion:Gut microbiome alteration with probiotics results in lowering of psychological stress and sleep improvement in the preoperative period in surgical patients.

Effect of slow tempo music on markers of anxiety during cataract surgery: Randomized control trial.

PURPOSE:This study aims to objectively measure the effect of slow tempo music on various markers for anxiety.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This is a repeated measure randomized control trial of patients with age-related cataracts undergoing cataract extraction through phacoemulsification under local anesthesia. Patients were randomized into two groups: music group where a standardized piano music was played and control group. Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) levels were measured at the beginning and at the end of surgery. Blood pressure and heart rate were also measured at 5 min before surgery and at four other standardized points during and after surgery. Visual Analog Scale for anxiety was also gauged: preoperatively, perioperatively, and 15 min postoperatively.RESULTS:Ninety-two patients were randomized equally to the music group and control group. Paired sample t-test showed a reduction in the level of sAA during surgery in the music group (P = 0.019). The odds ratio for a drop in sAA with music was 4.407 (P = 0.001). Lower systolic blood pressure was observed in the music group: at delivery of local anesthesia (P = 0.047), at first incision (P = 0.023), and during sculpting (P = 0.15). Similarly, diastolic blood pressure was lower at first incision (P = 0.019) in the music group. The visual analog scale for anxiety during surgery was found to be lower in the music group (P = 0.046).CONCLUSION:A slow tempo music during cataract surgery was shown to significantly reduce several indicators for anxiety at various points during cataract surgery.

Association between Dental Caries, Obesity and Salivary Alpha Amylase in Adolescent Girls of Babol City, Iran-2017.

Statement of the Problem: Adolescents are at risk of obesity and caries due to various factors such as diet and poor health habits; these factors may affect their body mass index (BMI) and salivary components. Therefore, it is necessary to assess these factors and their relationship in this age group.Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the association between decayed missing filled teeth index (DMFT), salivary alpha amylase (sAA) level and age-specific BMI in adolescent girls.Materials and Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 81 females aged 13-15 years in 3 groups of BMI percentiles; “normal”, “at risk for overweight” and “overweight” (n=27). DMFT was calculated and unstimulated saliva samples were collected. The sAA level was measured with a spectrophotometer. Data were analyzed using Kolmogorov-Smir-nov test, Kruskal- Wallis and Spearman correlation tests using SPSS (version 23) at p< 0.05.Results: The concentration of sAA and mean DMFT were estimated 1326.56±4.73 U/L and 2.77±2.36, respectively. There was no significant difference in sAA level and mean DMFT among BMI groups. A positive and significant correlation was found between sAA and DMFT in overweight group (r 0.46, p= 0.014). Conclusion: Within the limitation of this study, higher levels of sAA may be considered as an indicator for dental caries in overweight adolescent girls.

Evaluation of Association between Perceived Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Salivary Alpha-Amylase and Salivary Cortisol with Chronic Periodontitis

Introduction: Chronic Periodontitis is a multifactorial inflammatory disease, which is caused by certain series of bacteria in oral biofilm and leads to teeth supporting tissue destruction. Stress, depression and anxiety can affect periodontium health through variable different mechanisms. Cortisol is secreted from adrenocorticotropic glands in pituitary gland and can be used as index to determine psychological stress rate. Alpha-amylase is an salivary gland enzyme which is regulated through sympatric nervous system. The aim of the following study is to compare between different biomarkers related to the emotional stress, anxiety and depression in saliva and their role on periodontal health and also the correlation between periodontal parameters, stress, depression and anxiety. Method: 90 patients with age ranged from 35 to 45 years were participated in the study. Salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase levels were measured in them. Levels of Stress, Anxiety and Depresion were evaluated using questionnaires. The relationship between psychological and biochemical factors with chronic Periodontitis were assessed. The results were analyzed by statistical analysis. Results: The mean concentration of salivary cortisol was 7.87±4.37 ng/ml in the case group and 4.33±2.11 ng/ml in the control group. The difference was statistically significant (p&lt;0.001). The mean concentration of salivary alphaamylase was 3569.27±101.22 U/L in the case group and 3343.44±171.09 U/L in the control group. The difference was statistically significant (p&lt;0.001). The mean stress score was 24.28±3.09 in the case group and 22.96±3.61 in the control group. The difference between two groups was statistically significant (p&lt;0.001). The difference between two groups was statistically significant (p&lt;0.001). The mean anxiety score was 44.11±4.59 in the case group and 36.47±4.30 in the control group, which was statistically significant (p&lt;0.001). The mean depression score was 19.96±3.58 in the case group and 13.13±3.91 in the control group. The difference between two groups was statistically significant (p&lt;0.001). Conclusion: The findings of these study showed that psychological factors like emotional stress, depression and anxiety and biochemical factors including salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase are higher in patients with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis in comparison to healthy people. also Anxiety and depression are stronger predictors of periodontitis than acute stress and cortisol.

Effect Of Chlordiazepoxide Oral Tablet On Oral Recurrent Bruxism, A Clinical Trial Human Study

Background: Oral recurrent bruxism is the most common disease of the oral cavity. The underlying etiology remains unclear, and no curative treatment is available. Chlordiazepoxide is essential and useful as anti-anxiety, sedative, appetite-stimulating and weak analgesic actions substance, which recent evidence indicates its involved in emotional responses. Objectives: The present study aimed to use systemic drug such as Chlordiazepoxide oral tablet (5mg). Illnesses related to the oral bruxism by studying its effects in oral recurrent bruxism, this systemic therapy is not indicated in such situation among other drugs. Methods: In this study patients presented with oral recurrent bruxism were treated with Chlordiazepoxide oral tablet (5mg) administered orally once daily after night meal . The dispersible tablet was administered orally once daily for 10 days, 66 participants, 7 were excluded due to incomplete records (51 males and 8 females aged 45.0±6 years) with oral recurrent bruxism, divided into two groups; group A, 30 patients were randomly assigned to receive Chlordiazepoxide oral tablet (5mg) once per day at night, and group B; 29 patients with oral placebo daily for 10 days. Results: The results showed that administering of Chlordiazepoxide oral tablet (5mg) accelerated the healing process within a short time period (10 days) without complications or disfigurement in all patients. Group A, 24 patients, (the healing rate were 0.79%) of 30 patients were used Chlordiazepoxide oral tablet (5mg) doses administered orally had complete healing of oral recurrent bruxism at period time eight days of enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assay investigation. Also there will be a decline both in salivary cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA)levels during the time period of the study, compared with group B, only 6 patients (the healing rate were 0.21%) of 29 placebo-randomized patients. Conclusion: In this study showed that, the Chlordiazepoxide oral tablet treatment was effective in healing the oral recurrent bruxism and the end-points of the study were complete healing and absence of any discomfort pain while eating within a short period of treatment.

Salivary alpha-amylase and tooth pulp evoked potentials in paroxysmal trigeminal neuralgia patients

Background/Aim. The sudden and excruciating pain that characterizes paroxysmal trigeminal neuralgia (PTN) has a negative effect on the wellbeing of the affected individuals, causing psychological distress. Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) level represents an objective assessment of physical, physio-logical, and psychological stress. Evoked potentials (EPs) reflect nerve function and evaluate a functional aspect of the trigeminal nerve conduction. The aim of this study was to analyze possible modifications in painful impulses conduction related to sAA level by registering tooth pulp EPs in PTN patients. Methods. The study included ten PTN patients and twelve healthy subjects. The activity of sAA was measured using the Nipro Salivary Amylase Monitor. In order to record EPs response, the dental pulp of vital teeth was electrically stimulated through intact enamel. For stimulation and impulse registration, we used Xltek Protektor 32 system, software EPWorks, version 5.0. Results. The results obtained in PTN patients showed a higher number of waves and significantly shorter latencies and lower amplitudes N2-P2 a nd N 3-P3 at the neuralgic side c ompared to the healthy side of the same patient, as well as to the controls (p &lt; 0.05). Moreover, latencies were significantly shorter in patients with higher sAA levels than in those with normal sAA levels (p &lt; 0.05). Late latencies (N2 and P2) at the healthy side in patients with higher sAA levels were significantly shorter compared to patients whose sAA levels were normal (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusion. This study showed that psychical stress associated with PTN probably further increased hyperexcitability and conduction velocity of the affected nerves. Moreover, it seems that anticipation of stressful pain even increases the conduction velocity of un-affected nerves at the thalamocortical level in PTN patients. However, in healthy individuals, stress itself had no influence on painful impulses conduction.

Effects of gender and personality on everyday moral decision-making after acute stress exposure

Exposure to acute psychosocial stress has been shown to affect moral decision-making, though little is known about potential gender differences or effects of personality. In two within-subjects design studies, 179 healthy men and women (N = 99 in Study 1, N = 80 in Study 2) were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and a non-stress control condition (resting period) on two testing days in random order. After stress/resting, moral decision-making was assessed by the Everyday Moral Conflict Situations (EMCS) Scale (Singer et al., 2019), which requests altruistic versus egoistic responses to everyday moral conflict scenarios with varying closeness of target persons. We investigated effects of acute stress, social closeness, participants’ gender, and the a priori selected personality traits agreeableness, empathy, and social desirability on everyday moral decision-making. Despite high statistical power, we could neither confirm the hypothesized effects of acute stress nor social closeness on EMCS scores in both samples. However, our data revealed a prosocial impact of acute stress on everyday moral decisions rather in females than males as well as effects of agreeableness and social desirability. Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) levels in Study 1 and cortisol levels in females in Study 2 were significantly correlated with higher EMCS scores after acute stress exposure. Additionally, lower anticipatory subjective stress responses were associated with more altruistic decisions. Moreover, we found positive relationships between hypothetical moral decision-making and real prosocial behavior (opportunity for a charitable donation). In sum, due to methodological differences compared to previous between-subjects design studies, it might not be justified to rule out effects of acute stress on everyday moral decision-making based on the current within-subjects results. Nevertheless, the present data suggest that specific personality traits like agreeableness might have a stronger impact on everyday moral decision-making than short term-exposure to acute stress.

Biochemical markers and haemodynamic changes of stress response after intubation with direct laryngoscopy versus video laryngoscopy versus fiberoptic intubation: A comparative study

Laryngoscopy and intubation leads to stimulation of pharyngeal and tracheolaryngeal nociceptors resulting in haemodynamic stress response (HDSR). Stress response is regulated by two primary neuroendocrine systems- the hypothalamus pituitary adrenocortical (HPA) and sympathetic adrenomedullary (SAM) system. Salivary alpha-amylase (SAA) level can be used as an index of the SAM activity, and serum cortisol as an index of HPA activity. This study was aimed to compare three different intubation techniques namely Macintosh laryngoscope, Video laryngoscope and Fiberoptic bronchoscope to observe stress response. This prospective, comparative and observational study was carried out at 120 patients undergoing various elective surgeries under general anaesthesia. Patients were allocated after randomization into three study groups- Group D (Direct laryngoscope), Group V (Video laryngoscope) and Group F (Fiberoptic bronchoscope) with 40 patients in each. Saliva and venous blood samples were collected before inducing the patients and 5-minutes after intubation. Blood pressure, heart rate and saturation were monitored at fixed intervals.A significant difference was observed in the post-intubation values (p=0.0001) of salivary alpha amylase levels by direct laryngoscopy and fiberoptic laryngoscopy, while it was insignificant in video laryngoscopy (p=0.919). Post intubation cortisol level was significantly high in all three groups. However, on group comparison of mean differences of serum cortisol levels, a significant mean difference was seen between D vs V group (p=0.0001), and V vs F group (p=0.0001), while it was not significant in D vs F group (0.157). In addition, changes in mean arterial pressure and heart rate, at 1- and 5-min post- intubation were least in group V. Video laryngoscopy is a safe, and reliable technique. Moreover, it causes lesser stress response to patients in comparison to direct laryngoscopy and fiberoptic groups.

Salivary alpha amylase and cortisol levels as stress biomarkers in children with cerebral palsy and their association with a physical therapy program

IntroductionCerebral palsy (CP) is one of the main causes of physical disabilities in childhood. There is evidence that CP children display high levels of stress, which could interfere with learning processes and interpretation of relevant sensory information during motor skills acquisition and socialization. ObjectiveThis study aims to compare basal levels of stress biomarkers (cortisol and alpha-amylase) of healthy children (HC) and children with CP, and to investigate whether a physical therapy session using the neurodevelopmental technique (NDT) interferes with these levels. MethodsA cross-sectional design was used. A total of 86 children (HC: n = 45 and CP: n = 41) with matching age, sex, socioeconomic status, and sampling time. Salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase levels were measured by means of electrochemiluminescence and spectrophotometry methods. A single saliva sample was collected in the HC group to determine basal levels. For CP group three samples were collected: a first sample was taken 20−30 min prior to the intervention, while two post-intervention samples were collected (5 and 20 min) to evaluate individual changes in salivary stress biomarkers. ResultsHigher basal cortisol concentration was found in CP children when compared to HC group. Moreover, CP children showed a significant reduction in cortisol levels 20 min after NDT intervention. No significant differences were observed in alpha-amylase values. ConclusionPresent results show that CP causes alteration in basal cortisol values at childhood and suggest that CP children respond to environmental regulatory factors such as NDT, in attempt to reduce stress.

Study of Salivary Stress Factor Activity in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus During the Period of Adaptation to Complete Removable Laminar Dentures

Diabetes mellitus is referred to as non-communicable epidemic of the 21st century and the fight against diabetes is one of medical and social challenges. One of its complications is damage to periodontal tissues that is accompanied by tooth loss. Any removable denture is a foreign body being a stress factor for the oral cavity.&#x0D; The objective of the research was to study dynamic changes in the activity of stress factor indicators, namely salivary cortisol, glucose and alpha-amylase levels in diabetic patients after prosthodontic treatment with complete removable laminar dentures.&#x0D; Materials and Methods. For this study, patients at the age of 45 to 74 years were divided into two groups: Group I included 52 edentulous patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were treated with acrylic resin complete removable laminar dentures; Group II comprised 52 edentulous patients without endocrine pathology who were treated with acrylic resin complete removable laminar dentures as well. Saliva served as the study material. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine salivary cortisol levels. Glucose concentration in saliva was determined by a unified enzymatic method. Alpha-amylase activity was determined by the enzymatic colorimetric method.&#x0D; Results. According to the research results, before prosthodontic treatment, salivary cortisol levels of patients with diabetes mellitus were 2.4 times higher as compared to patients without somatic pathology. In phase I of adaptation to complete removable laminar dentures, in patients with diabetes mellitus, salivary cortisol concentration increased drastically by 1.4 times as compared to the indicator before prosthodontic treatment (5.61±0.83 ng/ml vs. 4.02±0.65 ng/ml, p&lt;0.01), while in the group of patients without endocrine pathology, cortisol levels increased by 1.2 times; salivary glucose level of patients with diabetes mellitus increased by 1.3 times, while in patients without endocrine pathology, it increased by 1.1 times; in patients of Group I, salivary alpha-amylase levels increased by 1.2 times, while in patients of Group II, salivary alpha-amylase concentration increased by 1.05 times.&#x0D; Conclusions. In patients with diabetes mellitus, changes in saliva composition indicate a significant reduction in the adaptation mechanisms, that complicates and significantly prolongs the period of adaptation to complete removable laminar dentures.

Comparative evaluation of salivary alpha amylase level for assessment of stress during third molar surgery with and without piano music and co-relation with pain catastrophizing scale: an in vivo study.

ObjectivesPreoperative nervousness and anxiety are frequently encountered by individuals who undergo extractions of impacted wisdom teeth. The aim of the present study is to evaluate salivary alpha amylase (sAA) level in patients for assessment of stress during third molar surgery while listening to piano music and to determine its co-relation with pain catastrophizing scale (PCS).Materials and MethodsSeven patients (four males and three females) indicated for surgical extraction of bilaterally impacted mandibular third molars were included. Pre-surgical patient assessments were completed, and three samples of saliva were collected during surgery—one at baseline, one 30 minutes after commencement of surgery, and one after suturing. Assessment was performed on both sides separately with and without piano music, and the samples were assessed for sAA level and correlated with the patient’s self-reported PCS.ResultsStatistically significant results were obtained in patients who underwent surgical extraction while listening to piano music (P=0.046). The correlation of sAA level with PCS was not significant.ConclusionMusic demonstrated a beneficial effect on lowering the levels of stress and anxiety that a patient exhibits during any surgical procedure, and sAA can be a useful biomarker for similar assessments.

Correlation of the modified dental anxiety scale value with salivary alpha-amylase in pre-odontectomy patients

Introduction: Odontectomy is a minor surgical procedure that often results in dental anxiety. Dental anxiety can interfere during odontectomy treatment. Dental anxiety can be examined using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) and through the level of the salivary alpha-amylase enzyme, both of which are dental anxiety biomarkers. The objective of this study was to analyse the correlation between anxiety values with salivary alpha-amylase levels using MDAS as an indicator of anxiety in pre-odontectomy patients. Methods: This study was conducted on 60 research samples of women aged 18-40 years who came to the minor surgery clinic of Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Universitas Padjadjaran Dental Hospital, to have odontectomy treatment of maxillary or mandibular third molars impaction, not having systemic and oral diseases, and willing to participate in this study. Patients who met the inclusion criteria then required to sign the research consent statement; afterwards, the MDAS data was taken. The salivary alpha-amylase enzyme data was taken using the Cocoro meter (Nipro, Japan) tip which was kept under the tongue for 30 seconds, then the tip was inserted into the monitor, and the enzyme levels would be counted. The data obtained will be analysed using the Spearman rank correlation test. Results: The results showed that there was a significant relationship (p &lt; 0.01) with a strong positive correlation (r = 0.85). Conclusion: There is a correlation between MDAS value and salivary alpha-amylase enzyme as an indicator of dental anxiety.

Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation (tVNS) Improves High-Confidence Recognition Memory but Not Emotional Word Processing.

Previous clinical research found that invasive vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) enhanced word recognition memory in epileptic patients, an effect assumed to be related to the activation of brainstem arousal systems. In this study, we applied non-invasive transcutaneous auricular VNS (tVNS) to replicate and extend the previous work. Using a single-blind, randomized, between-subject design, 60 healthy volunteers received active or sham stimulation during a lexical decision task, in which emotional and neutral stimuli were classified as words or non-words. In a subsequent recognition memory task (1 day after stimulation), participants' memory performance on these words and their subjective memory confidence were tested. Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) levels, a putative indirect measure of central noradrenergic activation, were also measured before and after stimulation. During encoding, pleasant words were more accurately detected than neutral and unpleasant words. However, no tVNS effects were observed on task performance or on overall sAA level changes. tVNS also did not modulate overall recognition memory, which was particularly enhanced for pleasant emotional words. However, when hit rates were split based on confidence ratings reflecting familiarity- and recollection-based memory, higher recollection-based memory performance (irrespective of emotional category) was observed during active stimulation than during sham stimulation. To summarize, we replicated prior findings of enhanced processing and memory for emotional (pleasant) words. Whereas tVNS showed no effects on word processing, subtle effects on recollection-based memory performance emerged, which may indicate that tVNS facilitates hippocampus-mediated consolidation processes.

The biological underpinnings of perinatal depressive symptoms: A multi-systems approach.

BackgroundWell-established evidence exists of an association between depressive symptoms and alterations in the stress and inflammatory response systems; however, the picture is far less coherent during the perinatal period. This study combines the assessment of multiple stress and inflammatory biomarkers in late pregnancy and after delivery in order to investigate cross-sectional and prospective associations with perinatal depressive symptoms. MethodsOne-hundred-ten healthy women were assessed in late pregnancy (mean gestational age=34.76; SD=1.12) and 89 were re-evaluated after delivery (mean hours after delivery=52.36; SD=19.70) for depressive and anxiety symptoms through the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Serum Interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and diurnal salivary cortisol levels were measured on both occasions, while diurnal salivary alpha amylase (sAA) levels were assessed in late pregnancy. ResultsUsing Hierarchical Linear Models, higher depressive symptoms were found to be associated with higher IL-6 levels, lower morning cortisol levels and a flatter cortisol diurnal slope during pregnancy, while adjusting for potential confounders. No significant associations were found after delivery or with change in biomarker levels from pre- to post-partum. Furthermore, preliminary evidence of a positive association between inflammation and stress markers in women with higher antenatal depressive symptoms was found. LimitationsThe sample was relatively small and highly selected, thus limiting generalizability of the findings. ConclusionsResults emphasize the need for an integrated multi-systems approach to the understanding of the biological underpinnings of perinatal depression and suggest that the stress-immune interactions represent a promising avenue for future endeavor.

The Effect of Conscious Sedation on Salivary Alpha-Amylase Levels During Third Molar Surgery

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether salivary alpha-amylase levels could be decreased by conscious sedation in the patients undergoing impacted third molar extraction. Material and methods: A total of 18 male patients were recruited. All patients were administered the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale test. Patients were divided into a test group (procedures under sedation) and a control group (procedures under local anesthesia). Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and heart rate were monitored at different study time-points. Five samples of saliva were taken from each patient: the first time the patient came to the clinic, the patient sat in the chair for extraction, before local anesthesia, immediately after extraction, at 4 h after extraction. Results: Although no statistically important difference was found for systolic blood pressure (p>0.05) between groups, postoperative diastolic blood pressure level of control group was statistically higher than the test group (p=0.030). Also, a statistically significant decrease was found in the oxygen saturation level in postoperative time compared to preoperative time (p<0.05). Conclusion: Even though conscious sedation may be a solution for dental anxiety and phobia, our results indicated that sedation did not affect acute stress levels during oral surgery.

The effect of bergamot orange essence on anxiety, salivary cortisol, and alpha amylase in patients prior to laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A controlled trial study

Background and purposeThis study aimed to determine the effect of bergamot orange essence on anxiety, salivary cortisol, and alpha amylase in patients prior to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Material and methodsThis clinical trial with pre-post design was conducted on 60 candidates for cholecystectomy. The participants were randomly divided into an intervention and a control group. The intervention group participants underwent aromatherapy using two drops of 3% bergamot orange essence, while the control group ones inhaled two drops of odourless grape seed oil. Anxiety mean score and salivary cortisol and alpha amylase levels were measured before and after the intervention. ResultsA significant difference was found between the groups regarding anxiety (F = 9.00, p = 0.004) and alpha amylase level (F = 9.46, p = 0.003) after the intervention. ConclusionBergamot orange essence decreased anxiety and salivary alpha amylase level. Therefore, this method can be used as a complementary technique to reduce patients’ anxiety prior to laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery. IRCT registration numberIRCT20171113037428N2. It is available in following website: https://www.irct.ir/trial/27696 Registration date03/25/2018.

Pilot Study on the Effect of Biophysical Therapy on Salivary Alpha-Amylase as a Surrogate Measure of Anxiety/Stress: In Search of a Novel Noninvasive Molecular Approach for the Management of Stress.

Anxiety and depression impact dramatically on public health, underlying the importance of alternative cost-effective treatments. Previous studies have shown that biophysical treatment can significantly reduce anxiety symptoms and recently, salivary alpha-amylase (SAA) has been identified as an objective correlate of the sympathetic-parasympathetic imbalance related to increased stress burden, defined as allostatic load. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of biophysical therapy on SAA levels, in addition to the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS)-21 questionnaire. Twenty-four workers (sales representatives) presenting with mild anxiety/stress symptoms (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale of > 5) were randomized to biophysical treatment (N = 12) or placebo control (N = 12). The biophysical group underwent electromagnetic information transfer through an aqueous system procedure, with daily self-administration for one month. SAA collection and the DASS-21 questionnaire were undertaken at baseline and after one month in all patients. Clinical characteristics and baseline DASS-21 subscale scores were similar between placebo and biophysical group at baseline. After one month, patients receiving biophysical therapy had significantly reduced SAA levels compared to the placebo group (27.8 ± 39.4 vs. 116.8 ± 114.9 U/mL, p = 0.019). All three DASS-21 subscales, depression (9.3 ± 5.1 vs. 5.7 ± 5.5, p = 0.1), anxiety (6.7 ± 25 vs. 3.7 ± 2.2, p = 0.0049) and stress (10.8 ± 4.2 vs. 7.3 ± 3.7, p = 0.041) were also decreased after biophysical treatment compared to placebo after one month. Our findings suggest that biophysical therapy can benefit workers with mild (subclinical) anxiety/stress. These results were also validated by the concomitant reduction of SAA levels and an improvement in DASS-21 subscales. The underlying molecular mechanisms of this therapy remain to be characterized.

Evaluation of Psychological Stress Marker in Partially Edentulous Indian Adults Restored with Fixed Dental Prosthesis - A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background:Clinical studies have established mastication as a stress relaxation behavior in humans. Absence of teeth compromises mastication, increasing psychologic stress in individuals depicted by many physiologic changes in body. Quantitative level of psychologic stress bio-markers serve as indicators of underlying physical ailment. Lesser literatures are available in determining the role of alpha amylase stress bio marker in partially edentulous clinical situations.Aim:The purpose of this clinical study was to evaluate the levels of salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) stress biomarker in partially edentulous subjects before and after restoration with fixed dental prosthesis.Material and Methods:Forty partially edentulous patients with missing mandibular first molar were selected for this study. Two questionnaires, state trait anxiety inventory (STAI) and perceived stress scale (PSS) was used to evaluate stress and anxiety levels of participants. The recruited participants were treated with metal ceramic fixed dental prosthesis (FDP). A visual analog scale (VAS) was used to determine the patient satisfaction .Unstimulated salivary samples were collected preoperative, 3rd and 6th month post FDP placement. Level of sAA was estimated. Data obtained in the form of mean ± SD was subjected to statistical analysis using paired sample t-test (α=.05).Results:The salivary alpha amylase level was highest with mean of 36.73 μM/min/mg ptn before restoration with FDP. In the third month after prosthesis placement, the enzyme values decreased to16.62 μM/min/mg ptn and least value of 8.58 μM/min/mg ptn was detected in sixth month (P < 0.05).Conclusion:The salivary alpha amylase stress biomarker decreased after tooth replacement with FDP.