ABSTRACT
Objective
The aim of this study was to investigate possible relationships among hematologic factors, psychological dimensions, the presence of self-reported sleep problems, and clinical characteristics in patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS).
Methods
Twenty-five postmenopausal female patients with primary BMS (aged 55.2 ± 9.6 years) were included. All participants underwent clinical and psychological evaluations and blood sampling. The patients were subdivided according to the absence or presence of the self-reported sleep problems.
Results
Pain intensity of BMS patients with sleep problems was significantly higher than those without sleep problems, and the severity of oral complaints was correlated with the presence of depression, anxiety, hostility, phobia, and psychosis. Estradiol levels were significantly lower, and FSH and LH levels were higher in BMS patients with sleep problems than those without sleep problems.
Discussion
BMS patients with sleep problems may suffer inharmonious psychoneuroendocrinological interactions that might worsen oral BMS symptoms.
Acknowledgments
The authors extend a special thanks to Su Jin Jeong in the Division of Biostatistics, Medical Science Research Institute, Kyung Hee University Medical Center for statistical consulting services.
Conflict of interest
We declare that we have no conflicts of interest.
Ethics approval and consent to participate
Procedures on human subjects were done in accordance with the ethical standards of the Committee on Human Experimentation of our institution and the Helsinki Declaration of 1975. In addition, the study design in the manuscript was approved by the appropriate ethics review boards of Kyung Hee University Dental Hospital.
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Yeon-Hee Lee
Substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, and analysis and interpretation of data: Yeon-Hee Lee.
Drafting and revising of the manuscript critically for important intellectual content: Yeon-Hee Lee, Suk Chon.
Final manuscript approval for submission and publication obtained from two authors.