Estimation and comparison of serum cortisol levels in periodontally diseased patients and periodontally healthy individuals: A clinical-biochemical study

Plasma Concentration of Cortisol Negatively Associates with Platelet Reactivity in Older Subjects

The interaction of platelets with steroid hormones is poorly investigated. Age is one of the factors that increase the risk of pathological platelet reactivity and thrombosis. The aim of this study was to assess whether there were associations between platelet reactivity and plasma cortisol levels in volunteers aged 60-65 years. For this purpose, impedance aggregometry in whole blood measured after arachidonic acid, collagen, or ADP stimulation was used to estimate platelet reactivity and mass spectrometry was used to measure peripheral plasma cortisol concentration. Statistically significant negative correlations were observed between cortisol concentration and platelet reactivity in response to arachidonic acid and ADP, but not to collagen. The presented results suggest for the very first time that cortisol is a new endogenous modulator of platelet reactivity in the elderly population.

Validation of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale and psychological features in patients with periodontitis

BACKGROUND

To investigate the psychometric properties of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) in patients with periodontitis and to evaluate the psychological features of patients with periodontitis.

METHODS

Overall, 460 individuals with periodontitis were enrolled. The HADS and the PSS-10 were administered to all patients. Methodology testing included the exploratory factor analysis, the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), test-retest reliability, as well as internal consistency.

RESULTS

Regarding the CFA results of the HADS, as well as the PSS-10, a bifactor model fitted the data best. The Cronbach alpha value, as well as the intra-class correlation coefficients value of the two measures were all >0.70. The anxiety, depression, distress manifestations, and moderate-to-high perceived stress prevalence were 35.2%, 18.2%, 24.6%, and 43.9%, respectively. Severity of periodontitis, age, smoking, and disease comorbidities were identified as independent prognosticators of the presence of psychological manifestations in periodontitis.

CONCLUSION

The HADS and the PSS-10 can be used as general measures for psychological assessment in patients with periodontitis.

The tendency of reduced periodontal destruction in acromegalic patients showing similar inflammatory status with periodontitis patients

PURPOSE

Evaluate periodontal status of acromegalics through clinical and biochemical variables.

METHODS

Demographics, hormone and metabolic variables, periodontal variables, gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) volume, and content data were collected from 30 patients with acromegaly, 30 patients with periodontitis, and 20 healthy subjects and comparatively analyzed.

RESULTS

GH differences between acromegaly (2.56 ± 4.86) and periodontitis (0.53 ± 0.95) (p < 0.001) were statistically significant. IGF-1 was lowest at periodontitis (113.31 ± 45.01) and lower (152.11 ± 45.56) at healthy group compared with acromegalics (220.38 ± 167.62) (p < 0.05). GH and IGF-1 had positive correlation (p < 0.05). IGF-1 and CAL had negative (p < 0.01) correlation except healthy group that showed the same correlation at the opposite direction (p < 0.05). Besides similar plaque and gingival indices with periodontitis, acromegalics showed relatively less CAL and GCF volume but except CAL, all their periodontal variables were higher than healthy subjects. GCF GH and prolactin showed higher values in acromegalics while healthy subjects showed relatively high interleukin-1, -10 and carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen compared with others.

CONCLUSION

Acromegalics have a tendency of slowed periodontal destruction with an influence of GH and IGF-1 to the inflammation- and collage metabolism-related mechanisms rather than bone-associated ones. However, this information must be confirmed with further studies exploring the mechanisms possibly bonded to others.

Is there association between stress and periodontitis?

OBJECTIVE

This study estimated the association between stress and periodontitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 621 individuals. Information about individuals was obtained through a questionnaire. Stress was evaluated using the Perceived Stress Scale. The diagnosis of periodontitis was based on a complete periodontal examination including clinical attachment level, probing depth, and bleeding on probing. Prevalence ratios (PR), crude and adjusted, and their respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated by Poisson regression analysis.

RESULTS

In the final sample, 48.47% (301) of the individuals were classified as having stress, of which, 23.92% (72) had the diagnosis of periodontitis. Association measurements between stress and probing depth ≥ 4 mm (PR_adjusted = 1.28, 95%CI [1.04 to 1.58]), stress and clinical attachment level ≥ 5 mm (PR_adjusted = 1.15, 95%CI [1.01 to 1.31]), and stress and periodontitis (PR_adjusted = 1.36, 95%CI [1.01 to 1.83]) showed that the frequency of these outcomes among those exposed to stress was 15-36% higher than those without the condition of stress, after adjustment for age, sex, schooling level, current smoking habit, pulmonary disease, and body mass index.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings showed positive association between exposure to stress and the presence of periodontitis, reaffirming the need to prevent and control stress.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Although there are limitations in this study, the results showed that an association exists between stress and periodontitis, signaling the necessity of a multidisciplinary attention when considering the psychological status in the management of oral and general health conditions of the individual.

Association of Stress, Salivary Cortisol, and Chronic Periodontitis: A Clinico-biochemical Study

Background

Periodontitis and stress are among the areas of increasing interest over the past two decades. Early detection of these diseases plays a crucial role in successful therapy. Cortisol is a protein which was found to be consistently associated with both.

Aim

The present study was aimed to evaluate saliva cortisol levels (SCLs) in chronic periodontitis (CP) patients with and without stress.

Materials and Methods

In this cross-sectional study, saliva samples were collected and cortisol levels were determined using ELISA method in 92 participants. The participants were divided into four groups based on periodontal condition (number of teeth present, plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing pocket depth, and clinical attachment level) and stress levels into Group 1 (no periodontitis and no stress), Group 2 (with periodontitis and no stress), Group 3 (without periodontitis and with stress), and Group 4 (with periodontitis and stress).

Results

Overall, 92 adult participants (41 males and 51 females) were included in the study. Participants with stress and periodontitis have high mean SCL when compared to other groups (Group 1: 15.01 ± 2.62, Group 2: 31.92 ± 6.80, Group 3: 34.47 ± 13.47, and Group 4: 60.13 ± 6.68). Group I shows a significant negative correlation of cortisol to BOP, stress to PI, and stress to cortisol level, whereas there is a positive correlation of SCL to PD in Group 4 which is not statistically significant.

Conclusion

SCL showed difference among the groups. SCL were associated with both CP and psychological stress. Increase in inflammation and stress levels enhances the SCL.