PERIODONTICS
Cite this article:
Miricescu D, Totan A,
Calenic B, Mocanu B,
Greabu M .
Salivary and serum
cortisol in patients with
periodontal disease
and oral lichen planus.
Stoma Edu J.
2015;2(1):51-56
SALIVARY AND SERUM CORTISOL
IN PATIENTS WITH PERIODONTAL
DISEASE AND ORAL LICHEN PLANUS
Daniela Miricescu1a,
Alexandra Totan1b,
Bogdan Calenic1c,
Brânduşa Mocanu2d,
Maria Greabu1e*
Department of Biochemistry,
Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Carol
Davila” University of Medicine and
Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
2.
Department of
Periodontology, Faculty of Dental
Medicine, “Carol Davila” University
of Medicine and Pharmacy
Bucharest, Romania
1.
PhD, Teaching Assistant
b.
PhD, Lecturer
c.
PhD, Lecturer
d.
PhD, Teaching Assistant
e.
PhD, Professor,
Head of Department
a.
Abstract
Introduction: Periodontitis and oral lichen planus are two oral diseases that affect
the adult population worldwide.
Aim: A positive relationship had been proposed between psychological stress,
periodontitis and oral lichen planus. The general aim of our study was to
investigate the levels of “cortisol”, the stress- related hormone in patients with
periodontal disease and oral lichen planus.
Methodology: Our study included 20 patients with chronic periodontitis, 20 with
oral lichen planus and 20 healthy subjects. We collected non-stimulated whole
saliva and serum from patients and healthy subjects. Serum and salivary cortisol
was measured using the ELISA method.
Results: In both patients with chronic periodontitis and oral lichen planus, we
obtained, in statistical terms, increased levels of salivary an d serum cortisol
versus the control group p<0.05.
Discussions: Psychological stress may influence the evolution and progression of
this two oral diseases. Cortisol can be regarded as the most useful biomarker to
evaluate stress.
Conclusions: Psychological stress may be regarded as risk factor for periodontal
disease and oral lichen planus progression.
Keywords: psychological stress, oral diseases, cortisol, biomarker
Introduction
Periodontitis, is a nonreversible inflammatory disease affecting the tooth
supporting tissues. This chronic disease is
caused by pathogenic microorganisms,
three organisms in particular, Tanerella
forsythensis, Porphyromonas gingivalis,
and Treponema denticola, which have
been directly associated with chronic
periodontitis (1-3). Others factors
can influence the appearance and
evolution of this disease are oxidative
stress and psychological stress (4-8).
Received: May, 4 th 2015
Accepted: June, 1st 2015
Psychological stress may be involved in
the inflammatory responses and changes
* Corresponding author: in the composition of dental biofilm
Maria Greabu, DDS, PhD, Professor
Address: 8 Blvd Eroii Sanitari, (9). Oral lichen planus (OLP), a chronic
Bucharest, Romania, RO-050474, inflammatory mucutaneous disease of
Telephone: +40721274932,
unknown etiology, affects mainly the
Fax:021 3110984,
E-mail: maria [email protected] adult population (approximately 0.02-
44
4%). In the pathogenesis of OLP genetic,
infectious, autoimmune factors (10-12)
seem to be involved.
Cortisol, the “stress hormone” is the
most widely-used biomarker in stress
evaluation studies. Among other fluids
the free fraction or the biological
active form can be readily detected
in saliva (13). Saliva is currently used
as a diagnostic tool for systemic and
oral diseases, because of its numerous
advantages: easy to collect, non-invasive
technique and no special equipment for
collection (14, 15).
The aim of our study was to detect
salivary and serum levels of cortisol in
patients with chronic periodontitis and
OLP. To the best of our knowledge this
is the first study to assess salivary cortisol
levels in both periodontitis and oral
lichen planus patients.
STOMA.EDUJ (2015) 2 (1)