title: Mucoviscidosis: total amylase activity of serum and mixed saliva in homozygous and heterozygous subjects.
abstract: Total amylase activity of serum and mixed saliva was studied in homozygotes and heterozygotes for mucoviscidosis and in healthy subjects. Mean serum total activity was 269.0 +/- 113.7 U/l in the homozygotes, exceeding in nearly 50% of the cases the values given in the literature and those observed in the normal controls. The difference against the control group was significant (P less than 0.05). Mean serum total amylase activity of heterozygotes agreed with the mean value for the healthy group (203.5 +/- 79.5 U/l) without a significant difference. Total amylase activity in the saliva of homozygotes (148.700 +/- 65.700  U/l) was higher than in the heterozygotes /118.300 +/- 74.200 U/l) of the healthy children (51.700 +/- 26.500 U/l). The difference between the homozygous and healthy groups was strongly significant (P less than 0.01), and that between the heterozygous group and the combined healthy children and adult groups was also significant (P less than 0.05). In the heterozygotes, salivary amylase activity was slightly elevated but not significantly different from the control group and did not result in a change in serum total amylase activity.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000681:Amylases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012463:Saliva / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000681:Amylases