Trace elements in saliva and plasma of patients with type 2 diabetes: Association to metabolic control and complications.

ABSTRACT

AIM: An analysis is made of the saliva and plasma levels of trace elements in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and their association to metabolic control and the presence of chronic complications. METHODS: A cross-sectional observational clinical study was carried out in 74 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to determine the following trace elements in plasma and unstimulated basal saliva 13Al, 16S, 4Be, 5B, 20Ca, 27Co, 29Cu, 24Cr, 38Sr, 15P, 3Li, 12Mg, 25Mn, 28Ni, 82Pb, 37Rb, 22Ti, 23V and 30Zn. RESULTS: The levels of cobalt (p = 0.048) in saliva and of strontium (p = 0.001) in plasma were related to the presence of chronic complications. Significant differences with respect to metabolic control were observed for beryllium (p = 0.038), boron (p = 0.023) and phosphorus in saliva (p = 0.046), and for rubidium (p = 0.005), titanium (p = 0.016) and zinc in plasma (p = 0.013). A significant correlation (p < 0.001) was found between boron in plasma and boron in unstimulated basal saliva. CONCLUSIONS: The determination of trace elements in plasma and saliva constitutes a complementary tool for the assessment of metabolic control and for predicting chronic complications associated to type 2 diabetes mellitus. Further studies involving the biomonitoring of trace elements in saliva and plasma are needed.