Salivary hexosaminidase in smoking alcoholics with bad periodontal and dental states

• Published in: Drug and alcohol dependence 2013-04, Vol.129 (1), p.33-40
• Main Authors: Waszkiewicz, Napoleon, Chojnowska, Sylwia, Zalewska, Anna, Zwierz, Krzysztof, Szulc, Agata, Szajda, Sławomir Dariusz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Alcohol; Alcoholics; Alcoholism - complications; Alcoholism - enzymology; Area Under Curve; Biomarkers; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Ethanol; Female; First time; Gingiva - pathology; Health Status; Hexosaminidases - analysis; Humans; Isoenzymes - analysis; Male; Marker; Middle Aged; Mouth - enzymology; Mouth - pathology; Periodontal Diseases - complications; Periodontal Diseases - enzymology; Periodontal Diseases - pathology; Periodontal Index; Proteins; Psychiatry; Saliva; Saliva - enzymology; Salivary Proteins and Peptides - analysis; Sensitivity; Smoking; Smoking - adverse effects; Smoking - metabolism; Tooth Diseases - complications; Tooth Diseases - enzymology; Tooth Diseases - pathology; Young Adult; β-Hexosaminidase
• ISSN: 0376-8716; 1879-0046
• DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.09.008

Abstract Background A sensitive alcohol marker, β-hexosaminidase (HEX), in the saliva of alcoholics, is investigated for the first time. Methods The activity, specific-activity and output of total HEX and its isoenzymes HEX A and HEX B were measured in the saliva of healthy controls (C), alcohol-dependent non-smokers (ANS), and alcohol-dependent smokers (AS). Results We observed a significantly increased activity/specific-activity and output of HEX A in the ANS and AS groups, due to the inflammatory state of the oral-cavity/salivary-glands. Significantly increased activity of HEX A contributed to an increase in the salivary activity of the total HEX in the ANS group. A significant decrease in the activity/specific-activity of HEX B in AS seemed to be due to HEX B inactivation by cigarette smoke. We noticed a tendency for deteriorated dental state (lower decayed-missing-filled-teeth index – DMFT), worse periodontal state (higher gingival index – GI and papilla-bleeding index – PBI) in AS, and worse periodontal state (higher GI) in ANS, as compared to the controls. We found no differences in the salivary protein concentrations between all groups and decreased salivary flow in both alcoholic groups as compared to the controls. In alcoholics, the area under the curve (AUC) for HEX A activity/specific-activity was significantly greater than for HEX and HEX B. The salivary HEX A activity/specific-activity had good/excellent sensitivity and specificity in smoking and non-smoking alcoholics, whereas salivary HEX and HEX B had poor/fair sensitivity and specificity. Conclusions Salivary HEX A may be helpful in the diagnosis of chronic alcohol intoxication, even in smokers.