Salivary Biomarkers (Opiorphin, Cortisol, Amylase, and IgA) Related to Age, Sex, and Stress Perception in a Prospective Cohort of Healthy Schoolchildren

Abstract

Background. The use of easily accessible biomarkers for assessing young patients’ health is weighty. This cohort study is aimed at measuring stress/immune biomarkers in the saliva of healthy school-age children and comparing subgroups according to age, sex, and stress perception. Material and Methods. 503 children under 12 years old (8.7±1.3) were included with anthropometric evaluation (height, waist, hip circumference, body weight, and body mass index (BMI)). Levels of opiorphin (OPI), free cortisol, alpha-amylase (sAA), and secreted immunoglobulin (sIgA) were determined by quantitative assays (ELISA) in unstimulated saliva. Unpaired t-test, Welch test, and Mann–Whitney U test were applied for appropriate group comparisons, and the correlation between variables was analyzed with Spearman’s rank coefficient. Results were considered significant at p<0.05. Results. sIgA and sAA exhibited significant differences depending on age and sex: IgA (ng/mL): 86±68.6 vs. 104.9±72.1 for (6-7 y.o.) and (8-11 y.o.), respectively, and 108.1±80.1 vs. 94.6±62.2 for male and females, respectively; sAA (U/mL): 78.9±54.4 vs. 100.5±81.2 for (6-7 y.o.) and (8-11 y.o.). No difference related to age or sex between groups was observed for cortisol and OPI. However, OPI levels were higher and correlated to prior stress exposure in children (0.31±0.4 vs. 0.26±0.5 ng/mL, p=0.031). sAA was negatively correlated to low mood self-declaration in children in the last two weeks (r=−0.10, p=0.045). Conclusions. sIgA and sAA can be used as sex- and age-related biomarkers in children 6-12 y.o., which is not the case for free cortisol and opiorphin. However, OPI reflected previous exposure to stress, suggesting its use for evaluating stress-related changes in children