Abstract
BackgroundSaliva reflects the plasma free fraction of testosterone which is biologically active, and available for uptake by tissues. Testosterone concentration in saliva, though differing slightly from the concentration of unbound testosterone in serum, is in good correlation with the latter, indicating that salivary testosterone provides a reliable method for determination of serum free testosterone. The study aimed to investigate salivary testosterone levels and their changes in preadolescent children and to study sexual dimorphism.MethodsTestosterone levels were determined in 203 healthy preadolescent children (77 girls and 126 boys) from saliva samples by radioimmunoassay. Sampling was performed once a year with respect to circadian and seasonal fluctuations of testosterone. Data were statistically analyzed by Statgraphic software.ResultsMean salivary testosterone concentrations (± SD) were 0.038 ± 0.012 nmol/L and 0.046 ± 0.026 nmol/L for girls and boys, with the medians 0.035 nmol/L and 0.041 nmol/L, respectively. Statistical analysis did not prove changes in salivary testosterone concentrations in the preadolescent period of life, with an exception of the insignificant fall at the age of 7 years, and an insignificant rise at the age of 9 years in girls.ConclusionsGenerally it can be concluded that salivary testosterone levels in our prepubertal subjects remained stable. There was no significant increase of salivary testosterone levels from the age of 6 until the age of 9 in both sexes. Sexual dimorphism in salivary testosterone levels was proved with significantly higher (p = 0.009) salivary testosterone levels in boys than in girls.
Highlights
Saliva reflects the plasma free fraction of testosterone which is biologically active, and available for uptake by tissues
Testosterone concentration in saliva though differing slightly from the concentration of unbound testosterone in serum is in good correlation with the latter, indicating that salivary testosterone provides a reliable method for determination of serum free testosterone [5]
The aim of this work is to investigate the changes in salivary testosterone concentrations during preadolescent period, (6–9 years) in both sexes
Summary
Saliva reflects the plasma free fraction of testosterone which is biologically active, and available for uptake by tissues. The concentration of the free hormone in plasma provides concentration gradient that drives diffusion of the steroid through the epithelial membrane into the primary secretory fluid within the acinar intercalated duct complex [1]. This holds true even under conditions of altered saliva flow rate, which may be reduced e.g. by anticholinergic medication [2] and increased by citric acid stimulation [3]. Not many reports relate to salivary testosterone levels in children so far, especially in preadolescents [7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14]; for survey of the literature see [14]. Besides establishing of the physiological concentrations in both sexes, especial attention was paid to prepubertal period and onset of puberty in boys [7,8,9,13] and to some behavioral and psychosomatic aspects related to testosterone [10,11,12]
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