Salivary cortisol concentrations in institutionalized and non-institutionalized elderly people

[摘要] Introduction:due to the limitations inherent to the process of aging, institutionalizationis a reality which may have an impact on the physical and psychological healthstatus of elderly people.Objectives:determine salivary cortisol concentrations in institutionalized and non-institutionalizedelderly people, and verify variables such as oral health and physical dependence. Methods:a descriptive analytical cross-sectional study was conducted of a sample of80 individuals, of whom 45 were institutionalized and 35 non-institutionalized.Oral clinical examination was performed to evaluate the use of and need fordental prostheses in the upper and lower arches. Saliva was collected to determinethe concentration of cortisol, a biological marker of stress levels.Results:most of the sample were totally edentulous elderly people: 84.44 % in the institutionalizedgroup and 71.43 % in the non-institutionalized group. A lower rate of prosthesisuse was found in the institutionalized sample than in the non-institutionalizedsample (p= 0.0013). Analysis of salivary cortisol concentrations revealedsignificant differences between the groups, with higher values in the institutionalizedgroup (p= 0.0397). Higher salivary cortisol concentrations were foundamong individuals with prosthetic needs, the difference being statisticallysignificant (p= 0.0454).Conclusions:institutionalized elderly people had higher salivary cortisol concentrations,greater prosthetic needs, and were more care dependent than the non-institutionalizedgroup.

[学科分类] 基础医学

[关键词] elderly people;nursing home;oral health;hydrocortisone;aging.