title: Clinical and diagnostic utility of saliva as a non-invasive diagnostic fluid:  a systematic review.
abstract: This systematic review presents the latest trends in salivary research and its applications in health and disease. Among the large number of analytes present in saliva, many are affected by diverse physiological and pathological conditions. Further, the non-invasive, easy and cost-effective collection methods prompt an interest in evaluating its diagnostic or prognostic utility. Accumulating data over the past two decades indicates towards the possible utility of saliva to monitor overall health, diagnose and treat various oral or systemic disorders and drug monitoring. Advances in saliva based systems biology has also contributed towards identification of several biomarkers, development of diverse salivary diagnostic kits and other sensitive analytical techniques. However, its utilization should be carefully evaluated in relation to standardization of pre-analytical and analytical variables, such as collection and storage methods, analyte circadian variation, sample recovery, prevention of sample contamination and analytical procedures. In spite of all these challenges, there is an escalating evolution of knowledge with the use of this biological matrix.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Metrocamp College - IBMEC Group, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lazaro Alessandro Soares
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Centre for Post Graduate Studies, Jain University, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: Sayeeda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mussavira
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Centre for Post Graduate Studies, Jain University, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: Omana Sukumaran
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Bindhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D049490:Systems Biology / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
keywords: biological markers; drug monitoring; non-invasive; oral health; saliva