Psychological profile and α-amylase levels in oral lichen planus patients: A case-control preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE To investigate psychological (anxiety, depression, and stress) and salivary (flow and concentration of α-amylase) profile associated with oral lichen planus. MATERIALS AND METHODS A case-control preliminary study with oral lichen planus patients and age-gender matched controls was conducted. The participants underwent psychological tests (Beck depression and anxiety inventories and perceived stress scale) and saliva collection to determine the unstimulated salivary flow and α-amylase levels at three moments along the day. The data were analyzed statistically using Mann-Whitney, McNemar χ2 and Friedman tests, and the Spearman correlation coefficient. The significance level adopted was 5%. RESULTS A total of 46 case-control pairs were recruited. There was a significant correlation between anxiety, depression, stress, and oral lichen planus, as well as the stress and decline of salivary α-amylase levels. Higher concentrations of this biomarker were found in the case group thirty minutes post-awakening. CONCLUSION The applied psychological tests indicated that factors such as anxiety, depression and stress were associated to oral lichen planus. Salivary analyses demonstrated a higher concentration of α-amylase thirty minutes post-awakening on individuals with the disease and its decline correlated with stress, suggesting the role of α-amylase as a promising biomarker for future studies.