Abstract
Objective: To determine the levels of s-IgA in saliva of caries patients and healthy controls, and to evaluate whether there is a correlation between it and caries by meta-analysis. Methods: The PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, Chongqing VIP database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, and China BioMedical Literature Services System databases were searched initially in April 2020 and repeated in August 2020. Two independent evaluators screened the literature and extracted the data according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. R 4.0.2 software was used for meta-analysis. I2 test was commonly reflected the heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression analysis explore the sources of heterogeneity. Sensitivity analysis, funnel diagram, Begg’s rank correlation, and Egger’s linear regression were used to determine the possibility of publication bias. Results: The study was reviewed according to the project guidelines for optimal reporting (PRISMA) based on meta-analysis. A total of 30 case–control studies were included, with a total sample size of 1545 patients, including 918 caries patients and 627 healthy controls. Salivary s-IgA levels in caries patients were significantly lower than those in healthy controls (SMD = −0.49, 95%CI: [−0.94; −0.03], P=0.03). In addition, the results of subgroup analysis showed that the significant decrease of salivary s-IgA level was correlated with children patients, mixed dentition and Asian people (children: SMD = −0.45, 95%CI: [−0.89; −0.01], P=0.04; mixed dentition: SMD = −0.61, 95%CI: [−1.24; 0.03], P=0.06; Asian: SMD = −0.62, 95%CI: [−1.17; −0.08], P=0.02). The funnel diagram included in the study was symmetrically distributed, and the sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the results. Conclusion: Salivary s-IgA levels in caries patients were significantly lower than in healthy controls. It has also been demonstrated that salivary s-IgA may be used as an alternative measure to identify subjects at risk of caries susceptibility, suggesting that salivary s-IgA may be a protective factor for dental caries.
Highlights
Caries remains a serious public health problem in most parts of the world, about 10 percent of the world’s people suffering from this disease [1]
After reading the title and abstract, 222 studies were excluded for reasons including reviews, in vitro studies or animal experiments, indicators that did not include salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) levels, duplicate reports, incorrect or incomplete data, and unreasonable study design
When comparing the salivary s-IgA levels of male caries patients and healthy controls (Figure 4A), we found that the salivary s-IgA levels of male caries patients were significantly lower than that of healthy controls (SMD = −0.46, 95%confidence interval (CI): [−0.87; −0.04], P=0.025)
Summary
Caries remains a serious public health problem in most parts of the world, about 10 percent of the world’s people suffering from this disease [1]. Saliva is involved in a variety of physiological functions, including lubricating the mouth, wetting food and swallowing, protecting the oral mucosa from dryness, participating in immune defense, and playing a key role in regulating the ecological balance of oral flora [4]. Studies in recent years have shown that salivary s-IgA plays an important role in local immunity by binding to caries causing microbial surface molecules such as adhesion to prevent microbial adhesion to the surface of tooth hard tissue [6]. It can reduce the hydrophobicity of the surface of bacteria and directly destroy Streptococcus mutans toxin and glucosyltransferase (GTF), making them inactivated [7]. Regulate the phagocytic function of mucosa polynuclear leukocytes and phagocytes
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
