The Potential Use of Saliva as a Biofluid for Systemic Inflammatory Response Monitoring in Children with Pneumonia.

Abstract

To investigate the levels of C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, calprotectin, interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in both saliva and serum in children with community-acquired pneumonia and to compare the saliva response with the systemic response. Forty hospitalized children with community-acquired pneumonia aged between 1 mo and 15 y; and 40 healthy controls were included. Both serum and saliva samples were collected on admission and at the time of discharge. Calculated differences between values for each serum and salivary parameter on admission and before discharge named delta (Δ) values were used for correlation analysis. Salivary Δ values of each parameter were moderately/strongly correlated with their corresponding serum Δ levels [IL-1β ÷ (r = 0.554, p< 0.001); IL-6 ÷ (r = 0.484, p = 0.002); PCT ÷ (r = 0.737, p< 0.001); TNF-α ÷ (r = 0.587, p< 0.001); CRP ÷ (r = 0.703, p< 0.001); and calprotectin ÷ (r = 0.774, p< 0.001)]. This study will evaluate the reflection of systemic changes in saliva and the efficacy of saliva in pediatric patients with pneumonia. Results will highlight saliva potential use as a biofluid for systemic monitoring in this patient group.