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 chi‐square 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 with 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]