Diagnostic accuracy of salivary creatinine, urea, and potassium levels to assess dialysis need in renal failure patients

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of chronic renal failure is increasing because of increase in chronic
debilitating diseases and progressing age of population. These patients experience accumulation of
metabolic byproducts and electrolyte imbalance, which has harmful effects on their health. Timely
hemodialysis at regular intervals is a life-saving procedure for these patients. Salivary diagnostics is
increasingly used as an alternative to the traditional methods. Thus, the aim of the present study
was to determine the diagnostic effi cacy of saliva in chronic renal failure patients.
Materials and Methods: This case–control study included 82 individuals, of which 41 were
chronic renal failure patients and 41 were age- and sex-matched controls. Blood and saliva were
collected and centrifuged. Serum and supernatant saliva were used for biochemical analysis. Serum
and salivary urea, creatinine, sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus were evaluated and
correlated in chronic renal failure patients using unpaired t-test, Pearson’s correlation coeffi cient,
diagnostic validity tests, and receiver operative curve.
Results: When compared to serum; salivary urea, creatinine, sodium, and potassium showed
diagnostic accuracy of 93%, 91%, 73%, and 89%, respectively, based on the fi ndings of study.
Conclusion: It can be concluded that salivary investigation is a dependable, noninvasive,
noninfectious, simple, and quick method for screening the mineral and metabolite values of high-risk
patients and monitoring the renal failure patients.
Key Words: Creatinine, dialysis,Renal Insufficiency,saliva, serum, urea