title: Impact of osteopathic manipulative treatment on secretory immunoglobulin a levels in a stressed population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High levels of human secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) have been shown to decrease the incidence of acquiring upper respiratory tract infections. Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) has been shown to improve cardiac indices, increase lymph flow rates through the thoracic duct, and decrease sympathetic tone in postoperative patients and those in intensive care. Therefore, we hypothesized that OMT may also increase sIgA levels in people under high levels of emotional and psychological stress, thereby enhancing immunity and potentially preventing subsequent infections.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine if OMT increases sIgA levels in highly stressed individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five second-year osteopathic medical students were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=12) or a control group (n=13). All participants were scheduled to take their national board examination (Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-USA) within 2 to 3 weeks after the experiment. After each participant submitted a saliva sample for a baseline sIgA level assessment, the experimental group received 20 minutes of OMT while the control group sat quietly and relaxed in a separate area for 20 minutes. Participants in both groups rested quietly for 1 hour after the 20-minute session and then submitted a second saliva sample.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 2 × 2 repeated measures analysis of variance revealed that the experimental group displayed a statistically significant greater increase in postintervention sIgA levels than the control group (F₁,₂₃), 5.92; P<.025).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates the positive effect of OMT on sIgA levels in persons experiencing high stress. Results suggest that OMT may then have therapeutic preventive and protective effects on both healthy and hospitalized patients, especially those experiencing high levels of emotional or physiological stress and those at higher risk of acquiring upper respiratory tract infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Northern Blvd, Old Westbury, NY 11568-8000, USA. gsaggio@nyit.edu.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saggio
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Docimo
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pilc
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Norton
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gilliar
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D026301:Manipulation, Osteopathic; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A