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Salivary enzyme activity in anorexic persons—a controlled clinical trial

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Abstract

Objectives

Patients with anorexia nervosa are at high risk for general and oral diseases. However, not all anorexic patients suffer from them, irrespective of the severity of their eating disorder. It is often speculated that differences in the saliva are important; however, little is known about salivary parameters in anorexic patients. The aim of the clinical trial was to evaluate stimulated and resting salivary flow rate and the activity of the following enzymes in both types of saliva: amylase, aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), collagenase, lysozyme, peroxidase, serine and acidic proteases, and trypsin in persons with anorexia nervosa (AN) and to compare them with those of healthy controls.

Materials and methods

Sixty-six subjects participated (28 patients with anorexia nervosa, 38 matched healthy controls).

Results

Regarding flow rate, stimulated and unstimulated levels were significantly lower in the AN group than in the controls. Activities of collagenase and AST in stimulated saliva were significantly higher in anorexic participants. In the AN group, changes due to salivary stimulation were found for the activity of acidic proteases, AST, and lysozyme.

Conclusion

Reduced salivary flow might be one indicator of anorexia. Despite starvation and anorexia development, salivary key enzymes show physiological activity. This indicates a partial adaptation of the organism to severe condition during malnutrition.

Clinical relevance

Further research is needed into possible role of reduced collagenase and transaminase activities in maintaining protection against external noxae and bacteria which might have impact on general oral health among patients with anorexia nervosa.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all of those who participated in this study for their enthusiasm and work. We would like to thank Mrs Sandra Pötschke for her work in the laboratory. Gratefully acknowledge for the assistance of Prof. Geoffrey Shaw for his helpful guidance and advice concerning English language editing. The authors would like to thank the Poznan University of Medical Sciences for supporting the study. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors state that there is no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomaterials and Experimental Dentistry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Bukowska 70, 60-812, Poznan, Poland

    Paszynska Elżbieta & Dyszkiewicz-Konwinska Marta

  2. Department of Conservative and Preventive Dentistry, Dental Clinic, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany

    Schlueter Nadine

  3. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland

    Slopien Agnieszka

  4. Psychiatric Genetics Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland

    Dmitrzak-Weglarz Monika

  5. Clinic of Operative Dentistry and Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine ‘Carl Gustav Carus’, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany

    Hannig Christian

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  1. Paszynska Elżbieta
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Correspondence to Paszynska Elżbieta.

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Elżbieta, P., Nadine, S., Agnieszka, S. et al. Salivary enzyme activity in anorexic persons—a controlled clinical trial. Clin Oral Invest 19, 1981–1989 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-015-1442-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-015-1442-3

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