title: The relationship between the levels of salivary cortisol and the presence of xerostomia in menopausal women. A preliminary study.
abstract: Xerostomia is a particularly frequent occurrence among menopausal women, and is often associated with depression.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relationship between unstimulated salivary flow rate and the presence of xerostomia, and to determine the levels of salivary cortisol and its relationship with xerostomia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty women were selected from patients attending the Department of Medicine and Buccofacial surgery, and formed into two groups, study and control. Samples of unstimulated salivary flow were collected, and the amounts of salivary cortisol determined using the ELISA technique (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean unstimulated salivary flow rates for the control and study group were 0.37 +/- 0.28 ml/min and 0.24 +/- 0.18 ml/min, respectively. The concentration of salivary cortisol was 3.47 +/- 1.64 ng/ml for the control group and 2.29 +/- 2.60 ng/ml for the study group. The statistical tests applied showed no significant differences for either variable between the two groups in the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study indicate that there is no relationship between variations in the rates of unstimulated salivary flow and the corresponding concentration of cortisol.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina y Cirugía Bucofacial, Facultad de Odontología, UCM, Madrid. brivera@eresmas.com
authors.forename: Begoña
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rivera Gómez
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hernández Vallejo
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arriba de la Fuente
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López Cantor
authors.forename: Milagros
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.forename: Rosa Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: López Pintor
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis*; D008593:Menopause / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000378:metabolism; D012472:Salivation / Q000502:physiology; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone