title: The salivary β-HEX A% index as an excellent marker of periodontitis in smoking alcohol-dependent persons.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Severe periodontitis leading to tooth loss is found in 5-15% of most populations worldwide.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The applicability of salivary β -hexosaminidase (β-HEX A%, percentage of β-HEX A isoenzyme to total β-HEX) and β-HEX B% (β-HEX B/β-HEX) indexes was investigated as a possible marker of periodontitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty three alcohol-dependent smokers (AS) and 32 healthy controls (C) were enrolled in the study. The activity of β-HEX was measured spectrophotometrically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  β-HEX A% was significantly higher and β-HEX B% was lower in AS than in C group. We found a significant correlation between β-HEX A% and gingival index (GI) and an inverse correlation between β-HEX A% and salivary flow (SF), in all groups. Salivary β-HEX A% index in smoking alcoholics at 0.23 had excellent sensitivity (96%) and specificity (91%); the AUC for β-HEX A% was high (0.937). There were no correlations between amount/duration-time of alcohol drinking/smoking and β-HEX A% or β-HEX B%. We found significant correlations between the time period of denture wearing and GI, papilla bleeding index (PBI), and decayed missing filled teeth index (DMFT) and between GI and the amount of smoked cigarettes per day.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bad periodontal state was most likely due to the nicotine dependence. Salivary β-HEX A% is a promising excellent marker for the diagnosis of periodontitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Białystok, Plac Brodowicza 1, 16-070 Choroszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Napoleon
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Waszkiewicz
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zalewska-Szajda
authors.forename: Sylwia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chojnowska
authors.forename: Sławomir Dariusz
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Szajda
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zalewska
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Konarzewska
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szulc
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wojtulewska-Supron
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kępka
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knaś
authors.forename: Jerzy Robert
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ładny
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Milewski
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zwierz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D054818:Hexosaminidase A / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012907:Smoking
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D054818:Hexosaminidase A