Antioxidant Levels in the Saliva of Patients with Cirrhosis Compared with Patients Post-Transplantation

The aim of this study was to compare antioxidant levels of saliva in patients with cirrhosis and liver transplantation. This study was carried out on 45 subjects referred to the Gastroenterohepatology Clinic of Dicle University Medical Faculty. These subjects were composed of cirrhosis, transplanted patients, and control group with no liver problems. The saliva samples were taken in the morning hours after a fasting period and were then stored at –80 ˚C until assay when they were tested for total antioxidant capacity. The photometric analysis was performed with Erel’s method. The statistical evaluation of the data was made using the Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. The total antioxidant level in saliva was significantly lower in patients with cirrhosis (P < 0.05). The post-transplant and control groups were statistically similar in terms of total antioxidant level. Our data suggest that dental caries and increased periodontal problems in cirrhosis may be related to the change in total antioxidant level in saliva. However, further studies are needed to clarify this issue.