title: Evaluation of salivary sialic acid levels in acute lymphoblastic leukemic children and its correlation with dental caries experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of present study was to evaluate the salivary sialic acid levels in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemic (ALL) children and to correlate it with dental caries experience.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 120 children aged 4-10 yrs were divided into 4 groups of 30 each. Dental caries experience was recorded followed by un-stimulated saliva collection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean salivary sialic acid levels of the study group were much higher when compared with the control group, which was statistically significant. A linear relationship between salivary sialic acid levels and dental caries in leukemic children was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of our study conclude that salivary sialic acid levels may have a potent activity in dental caries process and can be used as a useful marker in cancer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics, Rural Dental College, Loni, Dist. Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India. saurabhjoshi2006@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hegde
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shetty
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid