Abstract
Objective To evaluate the relationship between passive smoking as determined by salivary cotinine levels and salivary electrolytes, protein, secretory IgA, sialic acid and amylase in children. Design Saliva was collected from 90 passive smoker (PS) subjects (the study group) and 90 healthy age-matched children (the control group). The study group was divided into three subgroups according the number of cigarettes smoked. Socio-economic status, dental and dietary habits were recorded by questionnaire. Stimulated salivary calcium (Ca), phosphate (P), sodium (Na), potassium (P), total protein, amylase activity, sialic acid level, secretory IgA concentration and cotinine level were analysed. All data were analysed using SPSS, version 13.0. Results Socio-economic status, dental and dietary habits were similar between the two groups. The salivary electrolytes concentrations did not reveal significant difference between the two groups ( p > 0.05). The mean cotinine levels of PS children were 1.58 ± 4.3 ng/mL. The salivary concentrations of protein were similar between the two groups ( p > 0.05). The salivary secretory IgA concentration was significantly lower in the PS group than controls. The sialic acid level and amylase activity in PS group were found significantly higher compared with the controls ( p < 0.05). No difference was observed for all these parameters with sex ( p > 0.05). When saliva samples were analysed for output, the sialic acid level and amylase activity increased significantly in PS subjects ( p < 0.05). Further, the output of secretory IgA concentration was found significantly lower compared with the controls ( p < 0.05). Conclusion In conclusion, we show that passive smoking was associated with a decrease in secretory IgA concentration, whereas with increase in amylase activity and sialic acid level of stimulated whole saliva in young children.
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