Influence of sex and age on kallikrein excretion in stimulated human parotid saliva.

We determined the activity of parotid salivary kallikrein in 65 healthy males and females. We then formed two groups of probands by age. The mean age in the first group (n = 35) was 24.5 +/- 1.7 years, whereas the mean age in the second group (n = 30) was 58.1 +/- 10.5 years. The activity of the glandular kallikrein was measured with a chromogenic substrate. The salivary kallikrein excretion in the younger females was higher when compared with that in the younger males. No sex differences concerning salivary kallikrein activity could be observed in the second group. A possible influence of female sex hormone on salivary kallikrein excretion is discussed.