Age and gender characteristics of the biochemical composition of saliva: Correlations with the composition of blood plasma

Abstract

BackgroundRecently, the attention of researchers to the study of the properties of human saliva, as a material with unique properties and diagnostic capabilities, has increased. Research objectiveto study the connection of the biochemical composition of saliva and blood plasma in the norm, depending on gender and age. Methods107 volunteers took part in the study, including 46 female (37.2 ± 3.9 years old) and 61 male (36.1 ± 2.8 years old). In all samples of saliva and blood plasma, 16 biochemical parameters were determined, including mineral and protein composition, enzyme activity. Non-parametric statistical methods were used to process the data. ResultsIt has been shown that it is difficult to establish an unambiguous relation between biochemical parameters of saliva and blood plasma. The calculation of the Spearman correlation coefficients showed that only 7 of the 16 parameters demonstrate the presence of a weak correlation between the content in saliva and plasma. ConclusionIn general, the determination of the composition of saliva may have an independent diagnostic value; in this case, drawing a parallel with the composition of serum and blood plasma is not advisable. Nevertheless, the use of saliva in clinical laboratory diagnostics is associated with the need to establish criteria for the norm and pathology for each biochemical parameter.