Salivary and serum levels of substance P, neurokinin A and calcitonin gene related peptide in burning mouth syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is an enigmatic condition with the aetiopathogenesis remaining largely obscure. However, a neuropathic basis for BMS continues to be an area of active clinical and research interest.


OBJECTIVE
It is becoming increasingly evident that certain oral disorders may be modulated by imbalances in certain neuropeptides such as substance P (SP), neurokinin A (NKA) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) therefore we measured SP, NKA and CGRP in the saliva and sera of BMS patients as well as controls.


METHODS
Salivary and serum SP, NKA and CGRP were determined in the 26 female patients with burning mouth syndrome (age range 51-78, mean 65.69 yrs), and in the 22 female controls (age range 24-82, mean 49.72 yrs). Serum and salivary SP, NKA, CGRP levels were determined by commercial competitive enzyme immunoassay kits. Statistical analysis was performed by use of descriptive statistics and analysis of variance.


CONCLUSIONS
No significant differences in salivary SP, NKA and CGRP as well as serum SP and CGRP between BMS patients and controls could be found. However, significantly decreased serum neurokinin A (p<0.05) in BMS patients may reflect an inefficient dopaminergic system.
Boras
Vanja-Vucicevic
VV
Oral Medicine, The University of Queensland School of Dentistry, Brisbane, Australia. borasvanja@yahoo.com
Savage
Neil-William
NW
Brailo
Vlaho
V
Lukac
Josip
J
Lukac
Maja
M
Alajbeg
Iva Z
IZ
D000368:Aged; D002054:Burning Mouth Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015288:Neurokinin A / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D013373:Substance P / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood
D013373:Substance P; D015288:Neurokinin A; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide