title: Salivary and serum cortisol levels, salivary alpha-amylase and unstimulated whole saliva flow rate in pregnant and non-pregnant.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare salivary and serum cortisol levels, salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), and unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) flow rate in pregnant and non-pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A longitudinal study was conducted at a health promotion center of a university hospital. Nine pregnant and 12 non-pregnant women participated in the study. Serum and UWS were collected and analyzed every trimester and twice a month during the menstrual cycle. The salivary and serum cortisol levels were determined by chemiluminescence assay and the sAA was processed in an automated biochemistry analyzer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences between the pregnant and non-pregnant groups were found in median [interquartile range] levels of serum cortisol (23.8 µL/dL [19.4-29.4] versus 12.3 [9.6-16.8], p<0.001) and sAA (56.7 U/L [30.9-82.2] versus 31.8 [18.1-53.2], p<0.001). Differences in salivary and serum cortisol (µL/dL) and sAA levels in the follicular versus luteal phase were observed (p<0.001). Median UWS flow rates were similar in pregnant (0.26 [0.15-0.30] mL/min) and non-pregnant subjects (0.23 [0.20-0.32] mL/min). Significant correlations were found between salivary and serum cortisol (p=0.02) and between salivary cortisol and sAA (p=0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum cortisol and sAA levels are increased during pregnancy. During the luteal phase of the ovarian cycle, salivary cortisol levels increase, whereas serum cortisol and sAA levels decline.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pos-graduacao em Ciencias da Saude, Universidade de Brasilia, Brasilia, DF, Brasil.
authors.forename: Aline Lauria Pires
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Abrao
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pos-graduacao em Ciencias da Saude, Universidade de Brasilia, Brasilia, DF, Brasil.
authors.forename: Soraya Coelho
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pos-graduacao da Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasilia, Brasilia, DF, Brasil.
authors.forename: Denise Pinheiro
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Falcao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008183:Luteal Phase; D011247:Pregnancy; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D012472:Salivation; D000516:alpha-Amylases / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000516:alpha-Amylases; D006854:Hydrocortisone