Effects of self-perceived psychological stress on clinical symptoms, cortisol, and cortisol/ACTH ratio in patients with burning mouth syndrome

Table 5 Factors that increase VAS score in patients with BMS

Correlation with VAS	Demographics and Clinical characteristics				Psychological profile							Laboratory parameter
	Age^a	Xerostomia^b	Sleep problem^b	Symptom duration^a	SOM^a	O-C^a	I-S^a	ANX^a	HOS^a	PAR^a	PSY^a	Cortisol/ACTH ratio
Non-psychological stress (n=73)
r	.246 ^*	.791 ^**	.474 ^**	.090	.298 ^*	.286 ^*	.279 ^*	.177	.245 ^*	.236 ^*	.218	.261 ^*
p-value	.036	.000	.000	.451	.011	.014	.017	.134	.037	.044	.064	.036
Psychological stress (n=68)
r	.042	.684 ^**	.524 ^**	.295 ^*	.239	.151	.187	.274 ^*	.300 ^*	.246 ^*	.245 ^*	.001
p-value	.731	.000	.000	.015	.050	.218	.128	.024	.013	.043	.044	.994

^aResults were obtained using Spearman’s correlation analysis. ^bResults were obtained using Cramer’s V analysis. *: p<0.05. **: p<0.01. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. The results are shown in bold. VAS, visual analog scale; SOM Ssomatization, O-C Obsessive-compulsive, I-S Interpersonal sensitivity, ANX Anxiety, HOS Hostility, PAR Paranoid ideation, PSY Psychosis, ACTH Adrenocorticotropic hormone.

ISSN: 1472-6831