Key Findings
- Purpose
To assess the acceptability and practical feasibility of collecting salivary specimens for stress biomarkers (cortisol, alpha-amylase) in people living with SCD. - Population
The cohort of adolescents and young adults (ages 16-25) in the survey study had the opportunity to opt into a 1-day, 4-sample, at-home saliva collection. - Headline Result
Participants demonstrated a high rate of salivary sample return and acceptability; most samples met quality thresholds for cortisol and alpha-amylase assays. Participants reported minimal burden and strong willingness to engage in repeated sampling. - Why It Matters
Stress biomarkers could help bridge psychosocial research and physiological outcomes in SCD (pain, inflammation, organ damage), enabling precision interventions. Chronic psychosocial stress is increasingly recognised as a contributor to morbidity in SCD, thus, having a validated approach to capture salivary biomarkers of stress in the SCD adult population creates a practical research tool. - Evidence Gaps & Limitations
The study focuses solely on feasibility and acceptability; no data yet link biomarker results to clinical outcomes. The recruitment method limits generalization; larger multicenter, longitudinal studies may help ascertain predictive or actionable biomarkers.
Source: Journal of Sickle Cell Disease – “Acceptability and feasibility of salivary stress research with adults living with sickle cell disease.”
Regulatory & Guideline Watch
While major guidelines for SCD (e.g., from American Society of Hematology) highlight psychosocial and holistic care, specific recommendations for biological stress monitoring are not yet established. This study positions salivary biomarker sampling as a candidate methodology for future guideline updates.
Call to Action
If you lead or support an adult SCD program or research cohort, consider adding salivary stress biomarker collection (e.g., cortisol, alpha-amylase) in your study. Share your experiences with peers to build standardized workflows for treatment of SCD.