CONCENTRATIONS OF THIOCYANATE, HYPOTHIOCYANITE, FREE AND TOTAL LYSOZYME, LACTOFERRIN AND SECRETORY IGA IN RESTING AND STIMULATED WHOLE SALIVA OF CHILDREN AGED 12-14 YEARS AND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH PLAQUE ACCUMULATION AND GINGIVITIS

Resting and stimulated whole saliva was collected from 94 children age d 12-14 years and analyzed for thiocyanate, hypothiocyanite, 'free' an d 'total' lysozyme, lactoferrin and secretory IgA. Clinical assessment s of the amounts of plaque and gingival inflammation were made, and pl aque was collected for determination of dry weight. An inverse relatio nship was observed between salivary thiocyanate concentrations in both resting and stimulated saliva and the amounts of plaque and gingival inflammation in these subjects (p < 0.05). Lactoferrin concentration i n stimulated saliva was directly related to the amounts of plaque and gingivitis (p < 0.05). 'Total' lysozyme concentration in stimulated sa liva was directly related to the amount of plaque (p < 0.05), and the 'free' lysozyme concentration in the same saliva was directly related to the amount of gingivitis (p < 0.05). The direct relationship observ ed between clinical measurements and both lysozyme and lactoferrin con centrations in saliva may have been due to contributions from gingival crevicular fluid. Cluster analysis identified three groups of subject s with different profiles in resting whole saliva, and in particular w ith different levels of secretory IgA. A statistically significant dif ference was observed in the quantity of plaque collected from subjects in two of these groups (p < 0.05). These results from cluster analysi s using resting whole saliva from children confirmed the findings of a previous study with young adults.