title: Salivary secretion of albumin in type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes.
abstract: The concentration of albumin in saliva is low in healthy humans. To determine whether alterations in capillary permeability in diabetes affects the salivary glands, the concentration of albumin in parotid saliva was measured in 26 Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients, and compared to 32 non-diabetic control subjects. The diabetic patients were subdivided into 3 groups on the basis of the urinary excretion of albumin in timed overnight collections of urine: (1) normal albumin excretion (less than 30 micrograms/min) n = 13; (2) microalbuminuria (30-300 micrograms/min) n = 7, and (3) macroalbuminuria (greater than 300 micrograms/min) n = 6. Saliva was collected for one minute following stimulation with 1 ml 10% citric acid, and the concentration of albumin was measured by a sensitive ELISA method. No significant difference in salivary albumin concentration was found between the control group and any of the diabetic groups. Thus, although urinary albumin excretion was increased, suggesting altered capillary permeability, simultaneous leakage of albumin into saliva was not observed. Measurement of salivary albumin concentration does not, therefore, provide a marker of occult microvascular disease in diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Diabetic Department, Western Infirmary, Glasgow Dental Hospital and School, U.K.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lamey
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sweeney
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Beeley
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Spooner
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Frier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000418:Albumins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000419:Albuminuria; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000652:urine; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000503:physiopathology; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin