Immunologic and psychologic parameters associated with geographic tongue.
OBJECTIVE
Several conditions have been associated with geographic tongue (GT). However, there is no consensus on the etiology of GT. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether immunologic and psychologic parameters are associated with diagnosis of GT.


METHODS
A case-control study was performed on 170 participants (85 with GT, 85 controls). Unstimulated whole saliva was collected, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) concentrations were measured. Anxiety level was measured using psychologic and physiologic testing instruments. An independent t test and a Pearson correlation analysis were performed with SPSS (α = .05).


RESULTS
There was a significant difference between the 2 groups regarding the salivary concentrations of TNF-α (P = .008) and IL-6 (P = .001). The concentration of salivary cortisol and state and trait anxiety levels in the GT group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P = .001).


CONCLUSIONS
Immunologic and psychologic parameters appear associated with GT and may constitute risk factors of this condition.
Postgraduate student, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Milad
M
Alikhani
Researcher, Torabinejad Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Navid
N
Khalighinejad
Associate Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Parichehr
P
Ghalaiani
Researcher, Torabinejad Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Mehrdad Akhavan
MA
Khaleghi
Doctorate student, Psychology Department, Allameh University, Tehran, Iran.
Elham
E
Askari
Professor Emeritus, Department of Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: gorskym@post.tau.ac.il.
Meir
M
Gorsky
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005929:Glossitis, Benign Migratory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D006854:Hydrocortisone