SALIVARY AND SERUM CORTISOL IN PATIENTS WITH PERIODONTAL DISEASE AND ORAL
LICHEN PLANUS
Materials and methods
Periodontal disease patients
The study included twenty patients with chronic
periodontitis (5 males and 15 females, with an
average age of 51.26±7.4). The ethics board
of “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and
Pharmacy, Faculty of Dental Medicine, reviewed
and approved our study. All clinical examinations
were performed by one qualified examiner from
the Department of Periodontology. Classical
clinical parameters were measured: PD (probing
depth), plaque index (PI), bleeding index (GI). GI
and PI are expressed as percentage (%).
Oral Lichen Planus patients:
20 patients with OLP (clinical type: Keratosis and
Atrophic/erosive lesions) including 15 males;
5 females aged between 18–68 years. The
clinical examinations were performed at the
Oral Pathology Department, Faculty of Dental
Medicine, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine
and Pharmacy, Bucharest. Twenty healthy subjects
with no gingival inflammation, good oral hygiene
and no history of periodontal disease and OLP
made up the control group.
Saliva and blood collection:
Non-stimulated whole saliva has been collected
between 9 and 10 a.m, (1.0–2.0 ml). Saliva collected
in sterile test tube was centrifuged at 3000 rpm
for 10 min. At the same time 5 ml of blood were
collected and the serum was immediately obtained.
Both saliva and serum cortisol were detected using
the ELISA method.
Salivary and serum cortisol assays: A microtitre plate
is coated with monoclonal antibodies to cortisol.
Cortisol in standards and unknowns competes with
cortisol linked to horseradish peroxidase (HRP)
for the antibody binding sites. After incubation,
unbound components are washed away. Bound cortisol
peroxidase is measured by the reaction of the peroxidase
enzyme with the substrate tetramethylbenzidine (TMB).
This reaction generates a blue color. After stopping the
reaction with sulfuric acid, a yellow color is generated. We
read the optical density on a standard plate reader at 450
nm. The amount of cortisol peroxidase detected is
measured by the intensity of its color and is inversely
proportional to the amount of cortisol present.
Statistical analysis
Data distributions were expressed as means,
standard deviations (SD), ranges, and percentages,
as appropriate. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient
and ANOVA test were used. A p-value < 0.05 was
considered statistically significant.
Results
Our results reflect statistically increased salivary levels in
patients with periodontal disease and OLP compared
with controls.
Increased serum levels for cortisol were obtained in
patients with periodontal disease and OLP versus
healthy subjects.
Table 1 Mean values for salivary cortisol in patients with periodontal disease
Parameter
Patients
Control group
P
Cortisol
Periodontal disease
patients
(ng/mL)
10,1±1,03
3,83±0,87
<0.0001
OLP patients
(ng/mL)
10,13±1,056
3,83±0,87
<0.0001
Table 2 Mean values for serum cortisol in patients with periodontal and OLP versus controls
Parameter
Patients
Control group
P
Periodontal disease
patients
(ng/mL)
9,25±1,97
3,17±0,63
<0.001
OLP patients
(ng/mL)
9,08±1,056
3,17±0,63
<0.001
Cortisol
STOMA.EDUJ (2015) 2 (1)
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