Salivary Profile in Oral Submucous Fibrosis: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Oral Medicine
• Diagnostic Markers

Background:

• Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) diagnosis is challenging, often identified at advanced stages requiring complex treatment.
• Salivary profile alterations present a potential reference for disorder detection and diagnostic prediction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the salivary profile as a diagnostic marker in patients with oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF).

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
• Literature search conducted across PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus databases (1991-2023).
• Inclusion of 28 full-text articles, encompassing 929 OSMF patients and 826 controls.

Main Results:

• Elevated levels of salivary proteins (e.g., lactate dehydrogenase, immunoglobulins, S1007A, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, 8-isoprostane, malondialdehyde, MMP-12, CRP, fibrinogen-producing factor, miRNA-21) and lipids (cholesterol, HDL, triglycerides) in OSMF patients.
• Decreased levels of trace elements (vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, zinc, magnesium) and elevated copper levels observed in OSMF patients.
• Significant alterations in salivary protein, lipid, and trace element profiles identified in OSMF.

Conclusions:

• Alterations in salivary protein, lipid, and trace element detection provide a basis for noninvasive supportive examination.
• Salivary component analysis can serve as a valuable diagnostic marker for oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF).
• This approach offers potential for earlier and less invasive diagnosis of OSMF.