Abstract

In medicine, one of the oldest known ailments of defiant carbohydrate regulation is Diabetes Mellitus (DM). In less sophisticated centers, DM Diagnostic measures have reportedly become tedious as it is invasive; often worsening other ailments in trypanophobics. Umpteen times, studies have continuously attempted to devise non-invasive, diagnostic alternatives in an attempt to addressing the issue, hence the current study.


In this study, we investigated the possibility of predicting serum sugar levels in type II diabetics, using selected salivary surrogate markers [Na+, K+, Cl-, Ca2+ and Mg2+, C Reactive Protein (CRP), Glucose, and α-amylase levels]. 213 candidates, 173 Diabetics (Experimental group) 40 non-diabetics (Control group) were recruited for the study. For each subject, saliva and serum were obtained, assayed, and compared for aforementioned electrolytes, glucose and protein levels. Whilst comparing differences in means between obtained variables (for experimental and control groups, using the student t-test), statistical measures of association (Correlation) and predictions (Regression Analysis) were performed to determine the relationship between saliva and serum bioanalytes. While establishing equations for predicting serum bioanalytes from known salivary values.


 Study found a statistically significant increase in salivary electrolyte levels in diabetics, a significant increase in saliva and serum levels of α-Amylase, CRP, and fasting glucose in the same subjects was also observed.


Saliva could serve as a non-invasive means of predicting the level of serum glucose and a means of tentatively making a diagnosis if diabetes mellitus.


PROTOCOL NUMBER: CHW/ECC VOL 1/173; Registered on 9th of October, 2018.