title: Salivary antioxidants in patients with systemic sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In spite of relatively large amount of evidence that oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis, there is no study analyzing antioxidants profile of the saliva of these patients. The aim of this study was to compare salivary antioxidants in subjects with systemic sclerosis and the healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  The unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow and the specific activity of peroxidase, superoxide dismutase 1, the total amount of uric acid, and total antioxidant status were determined in two subgroups of systemic sclerosis women and healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant increase in the specific activity of peroxidase, a significant decrease in the total amount of uric acid and total antioxidants status in unstimulated saliva as well as a significant increase in all antioxidants examined in stimulated saliva of group with normal salivary flow rate as compared to the healthy controls were observed. Our results showed a significant decrease in the specific activity of peroxidase in unstimulated and a significant decrease in all antioxidants examined in stimulated saliva of the group with hyposalivation as compared to the group with normal salivary flow rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results prove that impairment of the salivary glands in the course of systemic sclerosis may be attributed to free radicals, and it is correlated with disease duration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics, Medical University, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zalewska
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knaś
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gińdzieńska-Sieśkiewicz
authors.forename: Napoleon
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Waszkiewicz
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klimiuk
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Litwin
authors.forename: Stanisław
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sierakowski
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Waszkiel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D001284:Atrophy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000295:instrumentation; D004245:DMF Index; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010544:Peroxidases / Q000032:analysis; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012470:Salivary Glands, Minor / Q000473:pathology; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000502:physiology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000032:analysis; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000032:analysis; D014985:Xerophthalmia / Q000378:metabolism; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005609:Free Radicals; C000606290:SOD1 protein, human; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides; D014527:Uric Acid; D010544:Peroxidases; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1
keywords: antioxidants; saliva; systemic sclerosis