title: Estimation of salivary amylase in diabetic patients and saliva as a diagnostic tool in early diabetic patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to estimate the salivary amylase levels in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus patients and to correlate these findings with those in normal individuals, in order to provide salivary amylase level as a bio-chemical indicator for diagnosing and monitoring the glucose levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study samples consisted of 60 individuals. Both males and females participated in the study. Thirty non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus patients of age group of 30 to 60 years and healthy individuals of same number and age group were included in this study. The data obtained in this study were statistically analyzed by using Student's t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In estimation of salivary amylase levels, the comparison of mean and standard deviation showed the highest mean score (2739.48 +1525.20) among the diabetic patients and lowest mean score (1740.38 + 638.51) among the non-diabetic patients. The p-value obtained was less than 0.01. Hence, a highly significant difference in the mean scores regarding salivary amylase (u/l) was found among the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mean scores of age, fasting blood sugar, post prandial blood sugar, HbA1c and salivary amylase levels were greater in diabetic patients than in non-diabetic patients.
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Sree Balaji Dental College & Hospital , BharathUniversity, Chennai, India .
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Malathi
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Sree Balaji Dental College & Hospital , Bharath University, Chennai, India .
authors.forename: K M K
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Masthan
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Sree Balaji Dental College & Hospital , Bharath University, Chennai, India .
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balachander
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Sree Balaji Dental College & Hospital , Bharath University, Chennai, India .
authors.forename: N Aravindha
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Babu
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Sree Balaji Dental College & Hospital , Bharath University, Chennai, India .
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rajesh
keywords: Blood sugar; Diabetes mellitus; Diagnosis; Saliva; Salivary amylase