Evaluation of salivary glycated albumin in periodontitis patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus and its changes with non-surgical periodontal therapy

Background: Bidirectional relationship exists between diabetes mellitus and periodontitis. Glycated albumin is an emerging biomarker to assess intermediate glycemic control. Salivary glycated albumin has not been evaluated in periodontitis. Aim: The aim of the study was to compare salivary glycated albumin in periodontitis patients with and without diabetes mellitus before and after periodontal therapy. Materials and Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Periodontics. Ninety subjects (mean age 41.8 +/- 6.82) were categorized into three groups. Clinical examination and saliva sample collection were done at baseline and 4 weeks after scaling and root debridement. Salivary glycated albumin levels were estimated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. One-way analysis of variance with post hoc test and paired t-test was done for inter- and intra-group comparison. The optimal cut-off value was calculated using the receiver operating characteristic curve and by maximization of the Youden index. Results: Mean salivary glycated albumin was the highest in diabetic patients followed by non-diabetic periodontitis patients and least in healthy controls. All the intergroup comparisons were significant. A cut-off value of 72.19 ng/ml of salivary glycated albumin could predict diabetic status with a sensitivity and specificity of 75%. Salivary glycated albumin was significantly reduced in a similar manner in both groups after periodontal therapy (19.4% and 18.5%). Conclusion: Periodontitis patients with diabetes mellitus were presented with the highest salivary glycated albumin. Non-surgical periodontal therapy resulted in a similar reduction of salivary glycated albumin in periodontitis with and without diabetes mellitus.