Background/Aims:
This study aimed to determine whether the anxiety levels of pediatric patients who undergo endoscopy are reduced after receiving preparatory information about the endoscopic procedure by monitoring their salivary cortisol (s-cortisol) levels.
Patients and Methods:
A total of 184 children undergoing gastroscopy under sedoanalgesia were included in the study. All the patients received a brief explanation of the endoscopic procedure. Patients were divided into two groups; Group Unexplained did not receive any further information other than a brief explanation of the procedure, Group Explained received more detailed explanation of the procedure. To determine anxiety levels, saliva specimens were taken on the day before the procedure to examine cortisol levels before and after endoscopy. Anxiety scores before endoscopy were calculated by the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale. Patients were monitored throughout sedoanalgesia, including during the endoscopy, sedation and recovery, and total propofol dosages were recorded.
Results:
Eighty-nine children undergoing gastroscopy (age 11.55 ± 2.52 years; 50.5% girls) constituted Group Explained and 95 children undergoing gastroscopy (age 11.44 ± 2.66 years; 56.8% male) constituted Group Unexplained. The anxiety score, duration of sedation, endoscopy and recovery, propofol dose, pre- and post-endoscopy s-cortisol levels were significantly reduced in Group Explained.
Conclusions:
We demonstrated that when endoscopic procedure is explained broadly to a child, the procedural stress is significantly less, as measured by the s-cortisol levels and the anxiety questionnaire. It is important for the attending physician to explain all aspects of examination carefully.
Non-invasive measurement of cortisol in saliva is of prime importance as it represents a bioavailable neuroendocrine marker for stress. Therefore, in this study, we developed an enzyme immune assay that was suitable for salivary cortisol measurements. For that purpose, rabbit polyclonal antibody was raised against cortisol-3-CMO:BSA conjugate. The test was based on competition of liquid phase cortisol with conjugated cortisol on the solid phase. Primary antibody was used to bind available sites on the conjugate, which was proportional to numbers of cortisol in liquid phase. Biotinylated secondary anti-rabbit antibody was used to detect primary antibodies by addition of streptavidin peroxidase and substrate, respectively. Color formation was stopped and yellow color was read by a plate-reader spectrophotometer. Additionally, validated test was used to met all validation criteria including. Test developed was used to establish cortisol awakening response (CAR) in saliva samples collected in the morning after awakening (0, 15, 30, and 60 min) from women (n = 4) and men (n = 4) at 8 or 4 different days, respectively. Diurnal cortisol levels were assessed (n = 8) at after awaking 60 min at morning, 12:00, 19:00, and 22:00 hr. In conclusion, an enzyme immunoassay test was successfully produced, validated and used for cortisol measurement in saliva samples.
OBJECTIVE:
Stress is a condition caused by various factors and characterized by imbalance in body functioning, impair in nervous system, and tension. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of cortisol level, which increases in healthy young individuals due to stress, on dynamic and static balance scores as well as to present the results caused by high levels of stress.
METHODS:
In this study, 107 healthy medicine faculty students in their second year (who will take the same committee exam) aged between 19 and 23 years were included. The first balance measurements and saliva samples were taken 40 days before the committee exam, and this period was acknowledged as the relaxed period. The same students were considered for balance measurements again on the day of committee exam; saliva samples were collected, and cortisol concentration was determined. This period was acknowledged as the stressful period. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was given to the participants in their relaxed and stressful periods. Dynamic balance scores were measured with Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT). Static balance scores were measured with One Leg Standing Balance Test (OLSBT).
RESULTS:
The mean cortisol level was found to increase approximately 9 times in stressful periods compared with that in relaxed periods. STAI, which shows state anxiety, showed an increase supporting this increase. In stressful periods, dynamic balance scores showed obvious decrease in all directions. In addition, in stressful periods, an obvious decrease was observed in static balance scores compared with those in relaxed periods.
CONCLUSION:
This study showed that stress negatively affected dynamic and static balance, even for short periods of time. We believe that our study will form a positive source and basis when correlated with long terms stress and balance measurements.
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