Search

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a T-cell mediated disease directed to a still unknown antigen, which may affect oral mucosa. The aim of this study was to determine whether differences in anxiety, depression and stress could be seen in patients with OLP in acute stage and in remission, as well as in comparison with healthy control subjects. The study included 50 OLP patients aged 22-79 (mean age 61.04) years and 50 control subjects who had healthy oral mucosa aged 38-80 (mean age 58.70) years. Patients with OLP filled out the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults and Beck Depression Inventory II test in acute stage and in remission. Control subjects also filled out the same tests. On detailed medical history, study subjects were asked about the possible stressors, which might have happened in the previous year. Statistical analysis was performed by use of descriptive statistics and t-test. There were no differences in the level of anxiety, depression and stress between the two stages of OLP disease (acute vs. remission period). Patients with OLP were significantly more anxious, depressed and stressed in both OLP stages as compared with healthy controls. It might be that psychological disturbances precede OLP development rather than worsening the disease process itself.

Recurrent aphthous ulceration (RAU) are a disease of an unknown etiology and mediated through T-cell lymphocytes. Evidence suggests that RAU is connected with chronic bowel disease, haematinic deficiencies, AIDS, food hypersensitivity and severe stress. The aim of this study was to determine whether differences in anxiety and depression could be seen in patients with RAU during acute phase and remision period and in comparison to the healthy controls. There were 30 patients with RAU (age range 36.27 +/- 15.308) and 30 controls aged 29.83 +/- 9.082. Every participant with RAU fullfilled STAI and Beck Depression Inventory II test during acute phase and during remission period as well as controls. Statistical analysis was performed by use of descriptive statistics and t-test. There are no differences in the level of depression and stress between the two phases of the RAU (acute versus remission period) as well as in comparison to the controls. Patients with acute RAU are more anxious than patients with RAU during remission period. We might conclude that psychological disturbances do not preceed the development of RAU and that the patients with acute RAU are more anxious when compared to the condition when they do not have RAU due to the discomfort they experience.

The aim of the study was to determine the level of anxiety and depression in patients with and without burning mouth syndrome, and to assess the possible association between the intensity of burning mouth and incidence of depression and anxiety. The study was conducted in a sample of 120 randomly chosen adult patients from two dentist offices in Nova Gradiska (Croatia). Patient data were collected by use of a questionnaire that consisted of four parts: history questionnaire, Beck's anxiety inventory (BAI), Zung's self-evaluation scale for rating depression, and visual analogue scale (VAS) for estimating the intensity of burning mouth syndrome. The presence of the symptoms of burning mouth syndrome was recorded in 35% of 120 subjects. A statistically more significant mean level of depression and anxiety was detected in the group of subjects with the symptoms of burning mouth syndrome. The association between the burning mouth syndrome, anxiety and depression was tested by Pearson correlation. The levels of burning mouth syndrome, anxiety and depression in subjects showed positive correlation. Study results indicated the level of anxiety and the level of depression to be higher in the group of subjects with the burning mouth syndrome. The intensity of the symptoms of anxiety and depression also was in positive correlation with the intensity of the burning mouth syndrome. This clearly points to the role of psychogenic factors, anxiety and depression in the etiology of the burning mouth syndrome, which should be taken in consideration when treating patients with the burning mouth syndrome.