Keywords :
Menopause, Salivary alpha-amylase, Salivary flow rate, Stress, Women
Citation Information :
Jakkula N, Garlapati K, Danam RP, Sameera S, Manne A, Konda M. Impact of Menopause on Salivary Amylase Activity and Flow Rate: A Comparative Study between Pre- and Postmenopausal Women. World J Dent 2024; 15 (10):902-908.
Aims: The present study aims to evaluate and compare the salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and salivary flow rate in pre- and postmenopausal women.
Background: While menopause is a common experience for all women, the age at which it occurs and the specific symptoms experienced can vary significantly from one individual to another.
Menopause influences salivary constituents and its flow rate, which can lead to oral diseases. Due to hormonal changes, women in menopause frequently encounter heightened stress and mood fluctuations, highlighting the importance of assessing stress levels within this group. sAA, as a biological marker, can provide valuable insight into an individual's stress perception and potential predisposition to certain systemic diseases.
Materials and methods: A case-control study was conducted on outpatients attending the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Panineeya Mahavidyalaya Institute of Dental Sciences and Research Centre in Hyderabad. A total of 80 female patients between the age-group of 20–60 years were selected and divided into two groups depending upon the menopause status: the first group included 40 premenopausal women, and the second group included 40 postmenopausal women. Saliva samples were collected from both groups. Saliva flow rate was measured, and collected saliva was assessed for sAA levels by biochemical analysis.
Results: The data was analyzed with the statistical software IBM SPSS (version 22). In the present study, using an independent t-test, it was found that the postmenopausal women had significantly elevated sAA levels (43.8 ± 17.9) compared to the premenopausal women (33.5 ± 10.5) with a p-value significant, p = 0.003 (<0.05). The difference in salivary flow rate levels in postmenopausal women (0.460 ± 0.1614) and premenopausal women (0.405 ± 0.0932) was statistically nonsignificant (p = 0.066; p > 0.05). Pearson's correlation was performed to correlate sAA and salivary flow rate levels in both groups. In premenopausal women, there was a mild, positive correlation between sAA and salivary flow rate, which was not statistically significant (r = 0.121, n = 40, p = 0.457). In postmenopausal women, there was a mild, negative correlation between sAA and salivary flow rate, which was statistically nonsignificant (r = –0.191, n = 40, p = 0.239).
Conclusion: The study revealed that postmenopausal women have elevated mean sAA levels compared to premenopausal women, suggestive of a predisposition of this group to stress. Hence, sAA can be considered a sensitive noninvasive biomarker for stress-induced changes in the body and also a potential biomarker for certain systemic diseases like diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular risks. It was observed that mean salivary flow rates were not significantly different between the two groups, which is suggestive of normal salivary flow rates in the postmenopausal group until 60 years of age.
Clinical significance: The marked increase in sAA observed in the study indicates heightened physiological stress in postmenopausal women and may also be linked to an elevated risk of systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular issues, and metabolic syndromes in this group.
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