Assessment of bone sialoprotein in the saliva of women at peri- and postmenopausal age

Introduction and objective. Bone sialoprotein (BSP) is present in a non-collagenous fraction of bone matrix, in dentine, cement and calcified cartilage. The characteristic place where sialoprotein is produced makes it highly specific in relation to the bone tissue and the possibility of using it as a marker of bone metabolism. The study aimed to assess the BSP level in the saliva of female patients at the menopausal and postmenopausal period. Materials and method. The study included 71 women aged 45–74 years. In the examined subjects, bone mineral density and bone sialoprotein levels in saliva were determined. Patients also responded to survey questions about place of residence and the frequency of consumption of foods rich in calcium. The obtained results were statistically analyzed. Results. In the study population of women, BSP saliva concentration ranged from 0.40–14.97 ng/ml. The highest BSP values were observed in the control group (average – 5.66 ng/ml, median – 6.73 ng/ml,), the lowest in the osteopenia group (average – 3.09 ng/ml, median – 1.71 ng/ml). This relationship was close to statistical significance (p = 0.056). Place of residence of the surveyed women had neither effect on BSP concentration in saliva nor on the value of the T-score ratio. Similarly, there was no statistically significant relationship between the frequency of consumption of foods rich in calcium and BSP and T-score. Conclusions. It was found that the BSP level can be determined in saliva. Biochemical tests of saliva considering bone metabolism are an issue that should be continued in future, as the availability of material (saliva) for laboratory analyses, carries potential diagnostic opportunities.