Assessment of salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol as a pain related stress biomarker in dogs pre-and post-operation

Background The use of salivary biomarkers has garnered attention because the composition of saliva reflects the body’s physiological state. Saliva contains a wide range of components, including peptides, nucleic acids, electrolytes, enzymes, and hormones. It has been reported that salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol are biomarkers of stress related biomarker in diseased dogs; however, evaluation of salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol pre- and post- operation has not been studied yet. The aim of this study was to evaluate salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol levels in dogs before and after they underwent surgery and investigate the association between the salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol activity and pain intensity. For this purpose, a total of 35 dogs with disease-related pain undergoing orthopedic and soft tissue surgeries were recruited. Alpha-amylase and cortisol levels in the dogs’ saliva and serum were measured for each using a commercially available canine-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit, and physical examinations (measurement of heart rate and blood pressure) were performed. In addition, the dogs’ pre- and post-operative pain scores determined using the short form of the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale (CMPS-SF) were evaluated. Results After surgery, there was a significant decrease in the dogs’ pain scores (0.4-fold for the CMPS-SF, p < 0.001) and serum cortisol levels (0.73-fold, p < 0.01). Based on their pre-operative CMPS-SF scores, the dogs were included in either a high-pain-score group or a low-pain-score group. After the dogs in the high-pain-score group underwent surgical intervention, there was a significant decrease in their CMPS-SF scores and levels of salivary alpha-amylase, serum alpha-amylase, and serum cortisol. Additionally, there was a positive correlation between salivary alpha-amylase levels and CMPS-SF scores in both the high- and low-pain-score groups. Conclusions The measurement of salivary alpha amylase can be considered an important non-invasive tool for the evaluation of pain-related stress in dogs.

Effects of Yogic practices on cardiovascular system and salivary alpha amylase on Indian healthy jail inmates

Objectives Imprisoned people usually have a poor health status and an increase risk to suffer chronic debilitating conditions, co-infection due to their limitations in physical activity and mental disturbances. This study was carried to find out the health impacts of Yogic practice of Indian healthy jail inmates. Methods It was interventional single group pre-post design study. A total no of 30, Jail inmates including 08 female were participated in this study and practiced Yoga for six months. Body Mass Index, Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, Salivary alpha amylase activity (SAA) a stress marker were assessed before, after three months and after completion of six months of Yogic practice. Results Improvement was noted in all parameters, but significant improvement was noted in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean blood pressure, double product a index of load in the heart and SAA following Yogic practice in total participants. Significant improvement was also noted in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean blood pressure, double product a index of load in the heart and SAA following Yogic practice in male group. No significant effect was noted in female group. Conclusions The present study revealed that regular Yogic practice resulted in reduction blood pressure, load in the heart and stress in mail jail inmates, when it is practiced regularly and carefully.

Perceived chronic stress influences the effect of acute stress on cognitive flexibility

Executive functions are cognitive processes that facilitate goal-directed behavior by enabling us to direct and control our thoughts. Cognitive flexibility is an executive function characterized by the ability to mentally shift between rules, strategies, or tasks. Several studies have reported that acute (brief) stress impairs cognitive flexibility. Even though an individual’s perception of their chronic stress levels is shown to influence effects of future stressors, the interactive effect of acute and perceived chronic stress on cognitive flexibility is not known. We conducted two experiments to address this gap. In both studies, perceived chronic stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale. Acute stress was induced using the Cold Pressor Test. Number of perseverative errors on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test was used as an indicator of cognitive flexibility. In Study 2, we also measured salivary alpha amylase as a marker of the physiological stress response. Data from our two studies are consistent with the hypothesis that an individual’s perception of their chronic stress level may impact the effect of acute stress on perseveration. In Study 1, we observed a significant interaction between acute and perceived chronic stress on perseverative errors, such that only individuals who reported high levels of perceived chronic stress prior to acute stress exposure showed no change in perseveration following the acute stress manipulation. This effect did not differ based on participant sex. In Study 2, we found a similar interaction effect of acute and perceived chronic stress on perseverative errors in an all-woman sample. After identifying salivary alpha amylase responders and non-responders, we observed a strong, negative correlation between perceived chronic stress and perseverative errors amongst the responders only. Our data highlight the value in studying salivary alpha amylase in response to acute stress exposure. Additionally, perceived chronic stress emerged as a key variable in the relationship between acute stress and cognitive flexibility. Overall, our work suggests that future research interested in interrogating moderators in the relationship between acute stress and cognition would benefit from inclusion of measures of chronic stress.

Non-invasive detection for work stress among the professional medical nurses during COVID-19 in Mongolia

COVID-19 pandemic has created a lot of work stress, especially among medical professionals, namely among nurses. The absence of the non-invasive stress detecting method using salivary alpha-amylase test in Mongolia served us to perform this study. We consider that the nurse immunization could be managed and boosted if the work stress is detected, and it would serve as the prevention method from the infections in the clinical settings. The study aims to investigate the stress level among medical professionals, particularly the nurses, using a self-report questionnaire, work stress profile, and salivary alpha-amylase during the initial period of the COVID pandemic. In the mid of March 2020, 356 professional medical nurses from three national tertiary centres of Mongolia were involved in this study. We employed a Work Stress Profile (WSP), a self-administered questionnaire that assists the personnel to identify their perceived stressors and assessing the stress at work. As the physical stress marker, we measured the saliva alpha-amylase level in these participants. The vital signs, heart rate, glucose and blood pressure were measured. The correlation method was used. There were 344 females and 12 males. The participants' mean age was 38±9.6 years old. The stress among the medical professionals was high by WSP - it was counted 342 or 96.1% of the personnel suffering from the stress at work: the WSP average was 151.49±26.81. However, age, education and work experience could influence stress at a certain level. The salivary alpha-amylase and WSP scores were correlated directly (p<0.01; r=0.187). The pulse, diastolic blood pressure and salivary alpha-amylase were interrelated. As one of the important personnel at the hospital, nurses are at high risk to get stressed in Mongolia. We concluded that the overloading of work leads to work stress among professional medical nurses, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effects of the Kampo medicine Yokukansan for perioperative anxiety and postoperative pain in women undergoing breast surgery: A randomized, controlled trial

Yokukansan (YKS) is a traditional Japanese herbal (Kampo) medicine prescribed for anxiety. In this randomized controlled trial, we compared the subjective assessment of anxiety using questionnaires and its objective assessment using salivary alpha-amylase concentrations in YKS and control (CNT) groups of women undergoing breast surgery. The trial was registered at the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (registration number: UMIN000028998), and the investigators were blinded to drug administration. One hundred patients who underwent breast cancer surgery were allocated to either the YKS or the CNT group. Finally, 35 and 42 patients in the YKS and CNT groups were analyzed, respectively. The YKS group received two 2.5 g doses of the medication before sleeping on the night before surgery and 2 h before inducing anesthesia, while the CNT group did not receive medication preoperatively. Patients answered two questionnaires, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, pre-and postoperatively as subjective anxiety assessments. As an objective anxiety indicator, salivary alpha-amylase levels were measured the day before, directly before, and the day after surgery (T3). In the YKS group, salivary alpha-amylase scores directly before operation were significantly lower than those on the day before surgery and at one day postoperatively (F [2,150] = 3.76, p = 0.03). Moreover, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait scores were significantly more improved postoperatively in the YKS group than in the CNT group (difference in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety: YKS, mean -2.77, 95% confidence interval [-1.48 –-4.06], p <0.001, and CNT, -1.43 [-0.25–-2.61], p = 0.011; and difference in State-Trait Anxiety Inventory: YKS group, -4.23 [-6.95–-1.51], p = 0.0004; and CNT group, 0.12 [-2.36–2.60], p = 0.92). No side effects were associated with YKS. YKS may reduce perioperative anxiety in patients undergoing surface surgery.

Relationship Between Salivary Alpha-amylase Enzyme Activity, Anthropometric Indices, Dietary Habits, and Early Childhood Dental Caries

Background: Caries risk assessment is of great importance in young children. Although early childhood dental caries (ECC) have the same general etiology as other types of caries, predisposing factors are not well elucidated. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) activity, body mass index (BMI), dietary habits and oral hygiene on ECC incidence.Materials and Methods: This study was performed on 38 ECC-affected and 41 caries-free children, aged 36 to 72 months. Upon the parents' consent, 3 mL of non-stimulated saliva was collected from the participants to measure the level of sAA activity through spectrophotometry. Additionally, parents/caretakers completed a structured questionnaire about demographic factors, oral hygiene, and consumption of sugar-containing foods. BMI, BMI z-scores and percentile data were calculated by using an on-line calculator. The independent variables were dichotomized and tested through chi-square test, followed by a backward stepwise regression, by using SPSS software (α=0.05).Results: The sAA activity was significantly higher in caries-free children (P≤0.001). However, the mean BMI was not significantly different between the two groups (P=0.49). Brushing and other measured dietary habits were significantly associated with the development of ECC (P≤0.001).Conclusion: Children with inherently lower levels of sAA activity were more susceptible to dental caries. Improper nutritional habits and poor oral health care could exacerbate the risk of ECC.