Salivary Zinc Levels in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate and compare salivary zinc levels in individuals diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and healthy controls.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A total of 20 participants were included in the study after obtaining informed consent. The participants were divided into two equal groups. Group 1 consisted of 10 healthy individuals who served as controls, while Group 2 included 10 individuals diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Saliva samples were collected from all participants, and the zinc levels were measured and analyzed to determine any differences between the two groups.

RESULTS

The average salivary zinc level in the rheumatoid arthritis group (Group 2) was 83.52 ± 5.9 μg/dL. In comparison, the control group (Group 1) showed a lower mean level of 69.56 ± 11.2 μg/dL. This indicates a noticeable difference in zinc concentrations between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Based on the findings, individuals with rheumatoid arthritis exhibited higher salivary zinc levels compared to healthy controls. This suggests that salivary zinc concentration may be altered in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and could potentially serve as a marker for disease activity or metabolic changes associated with the condition.