The Relationship Between Dental Caries and YKL-40 Levels in Saliva
Abstract Objective : YKL-40, a new biomarker of localized inflammation, is secreted by macrophages and regulates inflammation and immune responses. The aim of this study was to investigate YKL-40 levels in saliva and compare the level of this mediator in oral cavity. Methods: 85 children (46 girls, 39 boys), aged 6-15 (mean±SD: 9.15±2.16) were included in this study. The children were divided into three groups: Group-I (control, n=25, DMFT/dmft=0), Group-II (n=30, exist of localized dental caries) and Group-III (n=30, exist of localized advanced dental caries). Gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), DMFT/dmft, DMFS/dmfs, and the number of advanced dental caries according to the ICDAS II and PUFA/pufa index were recorded. Saliva was collected and YKL-40 concentrations were measured. One-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc , Kruskal-Wallis, multiple regression analysis, and Sperman’s correlation tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: The highest level of YKL-40 was obtained in group III , followed by groups II and I , respectively (p<0.01). In Group II, DMFT/dmft scores and the number of caries (DT/dt) were higher than in group III (p<0.01). In group III, there was a statistically significant correlation between YKL-40 levels in saliva and the number of advanced dental caries. In addition, there was no statistically significant difference, with respect to age and gender (p>0.05). Conclusion: Advanced dental caries, rather than DMFT/dmft score, may play an important role in the increasing levels of YKL-40 in saliva.