Mahmut Sertac Ozdogan1, Mustafa Gungormus2, Selen Ince Yusufoglu3, Sinan Yasin Ertem4, Cigdem Sonmez5, Metin Orhan6. 1. Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Dentistry, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: msozdogan@ybu.edu.tr. 2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Ankara, Turkey; Department of Basic Sciences, School of Dentistry, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: mgungormus@ybu.edu.tr. 3. Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Dentistry, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: syusufoglu@ybu.edu.tr. 4. Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Dentistry, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: syertem@ybu.edu.tr. 5. Department of Biochemistry, Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: ataycigdem@yahoo.com. 6. Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Dentistry, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: metinorhan@ybu.edu.tr.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Opiorphin is a recently discovered peptide shown to inhibit the enkephalin-degrading enzymes and prolong the effects of enkephalins. Although opiorphin is found in high concentrations in saliva, the relationship between salivary opiorphin and orofacial pains is not yet fully understood. We aimed to determine salivary opiorphin concentrations in dental pain related to symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP), and symptomatic apical periodontitis (SAP). DESIGN: 39 patients participated in this study. The participants were categorized into SIP and SAP based on their diagnosis. All the patients were treated with root canal treatment. Saliva specimens were collected, and pain levels were recorded at pre-treatment, 7 days post-treatment and 30 days post-treatment. Saliva opiorphin levels were measured using a commercially available ELISA kit. Pre-treatment and post-treatment opiorphin levels were evaluated using repeated measures ANOVA. Correlations between VAS scores, opiorphin levels and age were evaluated using Spearman's Rank Correlation. RESULTS: The average saliva opiorphin level pre-treatment, 7 days post-treatment and 30 days post-treatment were 31.28 ± 7.10 ng/ml, 20.41 ± 2.67 ng/ml and 18.61 ± 2.05 ng/ml respectively. Significantly higher pre-treatment opiorphin levels were observed in the SIP group compared to the SAP group. A strong correlation was observed between the pre-treatment pain levels and the saliva opiorphin concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that saliva opiorphin levels increase in inflammation related dental pain. The level of salivary opiorphin is strongly correlated with the reported level of pain. The extent of the inflammation (pulpal vs. periodontal) also affects the opiorphin level.
OBJECTIVES:Opiorphin is a recently discovered peptide shown to inhibit the enkephalin-degrading enzymes and prolong the effects of enkephalins. Although opiorphin is found in high concentrations in saliva, the relationship between salivary opiorphin and orofacial pains is not yet fully understood. We aimed to determine salivary opiorphin concentrations in dental pain related to symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP), and symptomatic apical periodontitis (SAP). DESIGN: 39 patients participated in this study. The participants were categorized into SIP and SAP based on their diagnosis. All the patients were treated with root canal treatment. Saliva specimens were collected, and pain levels were recorded at pre-treatment, 7 days post-treatment and 30 days post-treatment. Saliva opiorphin levels were measured using a commercially available ELISA kit. Pre-treatment and post-treatment opiorphin levels were evaluated using repeated measures ANOVA. Correlations between VAS scores, opiorphin levels and age were evaluated using Spearman's Rank Correlation. RESULTS: The average saliva opiorphin level pre-treatment, 7 days post-treatment and 30 days post-treatment were 31.28 ± 7.10 ng/ml, 20.41 ± 2.67 ng/ml and 18.61 ± 2.05 ng/ml respectively. Significantly higher pre-treatment opiorphin levels were observed in the SIP group compared to the SAP group. A strong correlation was observed between the pre-treatment pain levels and the saliva opiorphin concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that saliva opiorphin levels increase in inflammation related dental pain. The level of salivary opiorphin is strongly correlated with the reported level of pain. The extent of the inflammation (pulpal vs. periodontal) also affects the opiorphin level.