A comparison of salivary calprotectin levels in subjects with and without oral candidiasis.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to compare salivary calprotectin levels in subjects with oral candidiasis to the levels in healthy age- and sex-matched control subjects and to investigate the relationship of salivary calprotectin to intensity of oral candidal carriage and infection and to predisposing factors for candidiasis.


METHODS
Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we measured calprotectin in unstimulated whole saliva collected from 22 subjects with oral candidiasis and in saliva collected from 22 control subjects. Calprotectin levels in the 2 groups were compared by using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The relationships between calprotectin levels and Candida counts were assessed by using the Spearman rank correlation test. The nonparametric 1-way analysis of variance test was used to study the relationship between calprotectin levels and presence of non-albicans Candida and individual predisposing factors for candidiasis. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to evaluate the relationship between calprotectin and predisposing factors in subjects grouped by total number of predisposing factors identified.


RESULTS
No relationship was found between calprotectin and individual or total number of predisposing factors. Higher calprotectin levels were found in subjects with candidiasis, and calprotectin concentration positively correlated with intensity of candidal infection.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that calprotectin production, or release, or both, may be increased in subjects with candidiasis.
Kleinegger
C L
CL
Department of Oral Pathology, Radiology and Medicine, University of Iowa College of Dentistry, Iowa City, Iowa 52240-1001, USA. cynthia-kleinegger@uiowa.edu
Stoeckel
D C
DC
Kurago
Z B
ZB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000254:growth & development; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000032:analysis*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides