Table 1.
Glucocorticoid levels in saliva of TMD patients and healthy controls, analyzed with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). A paired t-test resulted in significant higher levels of cortisone (E) and cortisol (F), as well as the ratio of F/E and the sum of F + E, in TMD patients.
| Glucocorticoids | Cortisone (E) (nmol/L) | Cortisol (F) (nmol/L) | F/E (ratio) | F + E (nmol/L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TMD (n=44) | ||||
| Mean | 26.31 | 7.17 | 0.26 | 33.48 |
| Median | 24.83 | 6.29 | 0.26 | 31.37 |
| Range | 13.17–47.05 | 2.24–27.04 | 0.14–0.66 | 15.41–67.77 |
| SD | 8.61 | 4.56 | 0.09 | 12.49 |
| Control (n=44) | ||||
| Mean | 22.91 | 4.90 | 0.20 | 27.81 |
| Median | 21.56 | 3.81 | 0.18 | 25.35 |
| Range | 10.54–74.38 | 1.42–28.21 | 0.10–0.53 | 15.68–102.59 |
| SD | 9.74 | 4.37 | 0.09 | 13.91 |
| P value (paired t-test) | 0.041 | 0.01 | 0.002 | 0.02 |