Abstract

Background: Diabetes being the most common disorders in India, spreading like rapid fire both in developed and developing countries. Salivary ghrelin is one of the risk factors for the causation of type 2 diabetes independently from other risk factors. Few studies show that the circulating ghrelin levels are reduced in patients with type 2 diabetes and have a negative relation with body mass index (BMI). Some studies also show a negative correlation between fasting salivary ghrelin (FSG) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels leading to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

Aims and Objectives: This study aims (1) To correlate between FSG and FBG in type 2 diabetics, (2) to correlate FSG and body fat indices in type 2 diabetics, and (3) ;to correlate FSG with the type 2 diabetes duration.

Materials and Methods: Fifteen type 2 diabetics (10 males and 5 females) belonging to the age of 35–60 years and having diabetes for 2–12 years with no complications randomly selected for this cross-sectional study. Any history of systemic organ diseases, smokers, alcoholics, cancer, any history of oral cavity disorders, and pregnancy and menstrual periods excluded from the study. The Institutional Ethical Clearance obtained. FBG level by Trinder’s method and FSG by ELISA method done. Pearson correlation test is done.

Results: Negative correlation of FSG with FBG (r-value: −0.83, P = 0.001), BMI (r-value: −0.53, P = 0.03), fat % (r-value: −0.55, P = 0.03), and duration of type 2 DM (r-value: −0.54, P = 0.03) is obtained. FSG acts as an independent risk factor.

Conclusion: This short pilot study helps in identifying the FSG as a prognostic marker in type 2 diabetics. A further large number of research studies should be taken in this field.

Key words: Ghrelin; Type 2 diabetes; Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay