Janan GH*, Zainab AJ and Lamia MALN
Background: Saliva has found to be use as a diagnostic aid in an increasing number of clinical situations and in systemic disease that can affect salivary gland function and composition.
Objective: To assess salivary amylase and total protein content in un- stimulated whole saliva in children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) at time of diagnosis and during induction phase of chemotherapy.
Patients and methods: Thirty newly diagnosed children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia aged (1–14) years were recruited. Sixty healthy children matched for age and sex were regarded as control. Amylase and total protein were estimated in un-stimulated saliva from all subjects under study. Results: In children with ALL, the mean value of salivary amylase (817.05 ± 328.10 U/L) and total protein (10.20 ± 2.03 g/dl) were significantly higher before induction of chemotherapy than the controls (188.04 ± 124.7 U/L and 7.30 ± 0.82 g/dl, respectively) (p<0.0001). While during induction phase of chemotherapy only salivary amylase decreased significantly (p<0.0001). The mean value of the salivary amylase and total protein were significantly elevated at the time of diagnosis in patients of both sexes with ALL than in controls (p<0.0001). However, within the ALL group, there were no significant differences in mean value of the salivary amylase and total protein between males and females at the time of diagnosis and during induction phase of the chemotherapy (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Salivary amylase level significantly increases at time of diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and decreases during the induction phase of treatment with chemotherapy. So it can be regarded as diagnostic and prognostic indicator for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
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