title: Biochemical, immunological and enzymatic components of saliva in prolonged naso-gastric-fed elderly patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We have previously shown that naso-gastric tube (NGT)-fed patients harbor pathogenic flora in their oropharynx. The purpose of this study was to examine comparatively the biochemical, immunological and enzymatic components of the saliva of these patients with that of orally-fed counterparts.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 19 elderly NGT-fed patients and 18 comparable patients on oral feeding. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected and analyzed according to accepted methods for sodium, potassium, chloride, uric acid, total protein, albumin, amylase, lysozyme, and immunoglobulins, IgM, IgG, IgA, as well as secretory IgA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the above tested salivary components significantly differed between the two groups. Only uric acid levels were significantly lower (50%, p < 0.05) in NGT-fed patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Uric acid is the main antioxidant component of saliva and, as such, it may be related to pathogenic bacterial colonization of the oropharynx in NGT-fed patients, with the risk of aspiration pneumonia.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Medical Center Shmuel Harofe, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Beer Yaacov, Israel. larthur@bezeqint.net
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leibovitz
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nagler
authors.forename: Galina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Plotnikov
authors.forename: Beni
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Habot
authors.forename: Refael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Segal
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors