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Induction and emergence behavior of children undergoing general anesthesia correlates with maternal salivary amylase

Y-C P Arai1, N Kandatsu, H Ito

  • 1Multidisciplinary Pain Center, Aichi Medical University, Aichi, Japan. arainon@aichi-med-u.ac.jp

Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
|November 17, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Maternal stress, measured by salivary alpha-amylase, significantly impacts children's pre-anesthetic anxiety and emergence behavior during surgery. Higher maternal amylase activity correlated with increased child anxiety and agitation.

Area of Science:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Psychoneuroendocrinology

Background:

  • Parental stress during the pre-anesthetic period affects children's mental state, leading to anxiety and behavioral issues.
  • Salivary biomarkers, particularly alpha-amylase, are emerging as reliable indicators of psychological stress.
  • Maternal stress may influence a child's peri-operative experience.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the correlation between maternal salivary amylase activity and children's peri-operative behaviors.
  • To assess the relationship between maternal stress levels and children's anxiety and agitation during anesthesia induction and emergence.

Main Methods:

  • Analyzed 22 mother-child pairs undergoing minor plastic surgery under general anesthesia.
  • Measured maternal salivary amylase activity upon entering the operating room.
  • Assessed children's induction and emergence behaviors.

Main Results:

  • Higher maternal salivary amylase activity was significantly associated with increased children's induction anxiety (r(s)=-0.667, P<0.0001).
  • Elevated maternal amylase levels correlated with greater children's emergence agitation (r(s)=0.705, P<0.0001).

Conclusions:

  • Children's induction and emergence behaviors during general anesthesia are significantly linked to maternal salivary amylase activity.
  • Maternal stress, as indicated by salivary amylase, plays a crucial role in children's peri-operative behavioral responses.
Abstract

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