Comparing salivary level of alpha-amylase in patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis and healthy individuals

Abstract

<strong>BACKGROUND AND AIM</strong><strong>:</strong> Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) results due to a multiple of causes, amongst which stress is one of the most important factors. On the other hand, salivary alpha (α)-amylase (SAA) is a secretory protein that increases in stress conditions. This study evaluated SAA level in subjects with RAS.<br /> <strong>METHODS</strong><strong>:</strong> In this case-control (descriptive-analytical) study, unstimulated saliva samples were collected from <br /> 27 patients with RAS and 29 healthy controls. SAA activity was determined by spectrophotometric method using commercially available kit according to manufacturer procedure. Data were analyzed using SPSS software with t test <br /> (P < 0.05 was considered significant).<br /> <strong>RESULTS</strong><strong>:</strong> SAA level in patients with RAS was 80.78 ± 4.69 U/ml and 65.61 ± 27.52 U/ml during recurrence and recovery, respectively (P = 0.005). SAA level in control group was 19.99 ± 4.65 U/ml. There was a significant difference in the SAA level between RAS and control groups.<br /> <strong>CONCLUSION</strong><strong>:</strong> SAA level has been increased in patients with aphthous ulcer during recurrence, which may indicate an association between aphthous ulcer and stress.