Salivary Electrolytes as Bio-Analyte for Diabetes Mellitus

In diagnostic medicine, most processes that assaying metabolites/ biomarkers are often cumbersome and invasive; requiring in most cases, medics-client co-understanding for success to be achieved. This has reportedly exacerbated ailments in subjects due to fright and/or fear of syringes, especially in tympanophobics. This study was therefore undertaken to investigate the possibility of using saliva electrolytes as alternative means (besides serum metabolites) to assessing the human blood glucose levels without need for actual invasion. To achieve this, a total of four hundred and twenty six (426) humans, comprising of three hundred and forty six (346) Diabetics (Experimental group) and eighty (80) Non-diabetic (Control group) individuals were ethically sourced from the central hospital, Warri, Delta State. Irrespective of gender, study obtained and compared selected serum and saliva electrolytes [Na⁺, K⁺, Cl^-, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺]. Upon statistical comparison of mean differences between groups [Using the student t-test or one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) where appropriate], study found a statistically significant increase (at p > .05) for salivary electrolytes of diabetics compared to non-diabetics. Following comparison between groups, study observed a decrease in all but serum Cl^- concentration of diabetics when compared to non-diabetics. For all assayed parameters, study found a significant difference in salivary and serum electrolytes levels across sampled groups; implicating saliva as alternative means for which human blood glucose status may be assayed by non-invasive means. We recommend further sophisticated approach with higher sample size to this study.