Cortisol salivar como biomarcador do estresse e sua correlação com a condição bucal em uma equipe de enfermagem hospitalar

• Ano de defesa: 2023
• Autor(a) principal: Alves, Alessandra Arthuso
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: por
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; BR; Mestrado em Ciências Odontológicas; Centro de Ciências da Saúde; UFES; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Odontológicas
• Palavras-chave em Português: Cárie dentária; Cortisol; Estresse ocupacional; Periodontite; Saúde do trabalhador; Xerostomia; Ciências da Saúde
• Link de acesso: http://repositorio.ufes.br/handle/10/12595

Background: Occupational stress represents a significant cause of illness among nursing professionals. The primary hormonal system linked to stress is the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, where cortisol synthesis and release occur. Oral cavity tissues contain receptors for glucocorticoids that respond to chronic cortisol exposure. Aim: To investigate salivary cortisol levels in a hospital nursing team and assess their correlation with clinical oral conditions. Methods: This is a cross-sectional analytical epidemiological study conducted on 46 nursing professionals from a university hospital in Espírito Santo. Salivary cortisol collection was performed using a Salivette® kit, and analyses were conducted using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Unstimulated salivary flow was collected through sialometry, and xerostomia was assessed using the Xerostomia Inventory (SXI) questionnaire. Clinical examinations included the evaluation of dental caries using the DMFT index and periodontal assessment. Occupational stress was assessed using the Job Stress Scale (JSS). Results: In our sample, 54.35% of participants had normal cortisol levels, and 45.65% had low cortisol levels. Xerostomia was present in almost all participants (93.48%), and 82.61% had normal salivary flow. The DMFT index in the sample was 13.1, and the prevalence of periodontitis was 63.04%. A significant association was found between low cortisol levels, xerostomia, and the JSS. High-demand job tasks were found to have 23.9 times higher odds of presenting low cortisol levels. Additionally, xerostomic individuals showed a higher average in the index of decayed, missing, and filled teeth. No significant association was found between cortisol and salivary flow, dental caries or periodontal condition. Conclusion: Low salivary cortisol levels were associated with chronic stress and high job demands. Low cortisol levels were also associated with the presence of xerostomia, which was consequently related to higher rates of decayed, missing, and filled teeth. No association was found between cortisol levels and periodontal disease.