Aminotransferases and lactate dehydrogenase in saliva of diabetic patients.

Although inflammatory or degenerative changes in salivary glands have been demonstrated in genetic animal models of diabetes mellitus and in experimental diabetes, no information is available in diabetics on the possible leakage in saliva of cytosolic enzymes as markers of salivary cell injury. Aspartate (GOT) and alanine (GPT) aminotransferases and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were determined in saliva samples collected by the Salivette method from well-controlled insulin-dependent (IDDM n = 11) and non-insulin-dependent (NIDDM n = 18) diabetic patients and from age-cross-matched healthy subjects (n = 33). In IDDM salivary concentrations of GOT (112.55 +/- 23.94 UI/L) and LDH (1120.27 +/- 168.31 UI/L) were similar to those found in the NIDDM (90.94 +/- 19.64, and 1255.43 +/- 221.40 UI/L respectively), but higher (p < 0.05) than those observed in normal subjects (33.09 +/- 3.71, and 423.58 +/- 39.94, UI/L respectively). GPT was higher in NIDDM than IDDM, which in turn was higher than in normal subjects (42.78 +/- 14.72, 16.45 +/- 3.74 and 6.85 +/- 1.52 UI/L respectively). Salivary and serum values of GOT, GPT and LDH were not correlated. Determination of cytosolic enzymes in saliva may be useful for monitoring the diabetic involvement of salivary glands.