IADR Abstract Archives

Association between salivary free amino acids and protein energy malnutrition

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of an association between free salivary amino acids and Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) during early childhood. Methods: This work was approved by the Federal University of Ceara (Brazil) Ethics Committee. Seventy-five 12 – 70 months-old children, previously diagnosed with PEM, were selected to participate in the study, and divided into mildly (GI, n=22) or moderately (GII, n=53) malnourished, according to WHO 2006 growth standards. Forty-seven nourished children were used as controls (GN). Unstimulated whole saliva was collected from all participants and centrifuged. Supernatants were extracted, lyophilized, stored at – 80oC. Amino acid analysis was performed on a Biochem 20 plus amino acid analyzer, utilizing a high performance cationic exchange column with ninhydrin detection. Results were expressed in µMol/mL. Results: The amino acids with the most expressive mean concentrations were beta-alanine (0.673±1.029), alanine (0.252±0.518), arginine (0.241±0.684), cysteine (0.191±0.616), glutamic acid (0.378±1.216), homocystein (0.262±1.037), hydroxylysine (0.194±0.669), hydroxyproline (0.187±0.669), phospho-serine (0.464±0.881) and taurine (0.571±0.837). The most frequently found amino acids were alanine, arginine, beta-alanine, hydroxyproline, phosphoserine and taurine. Pearson's chi-square test demonstrated a statistically significant association between the following amino acids and nutritional status: L-alpha-aminoadipic acid (p=0.000), alpha-amino butyric acid (p=0.001), D-L-beta-aminoisobutiric acid (p=0.001), L-anserine (p=0.000), arginine (p=0.000), asparagine (p=0.006), carnithine (p=0.000), cysteine (p=0.000), cystathionine L (p=0.002), glutamine (p=0.000), histidine (p=0.004), hydroxyproline (p=0.000), methionine (p=0.000), norleucine (p=0.000), phospho-serine (p=0.001), taurine (p=0.001), valine (p=0.002). Conclusion: Our results suggest an existent association between free amino acids in saliva and nutritional status during early childhood. Thus, certain amino acids may be more frequently present or absent in the saliva of children with different grades of malnutrition.
IADR/PER General Session
2010 IADR/PER General Session (Barcelona, Spain)
Barcelona, Spain
2010
248
Nutrition
  • Sa Roriz Fonteles, Cristiane  ( Universidade Federal Do Ceara, Fortaleza, N/A, Brazil )
  • Pereira Costa, Dijane  ( Universidade Federal Do Ceara, Fortaleza, N/A, Brazil )
  • Jalles Monteiro, Andre  ( Universidade Federal Do Ceara, Fortaleza, N/A, Brazil )
  • Toyama, Marcos  ( Universidade Estadual Paulista, Sao Paulo, N/A, Brazil )
  • Toyama, Daniela  ( Universidade Mackenzie, Sao Paulo, N/A, Brazil )
  • Fonteles, Manasses C  ( Universidade Federal Do Ceara, Fortaleza, N/A, Brazil )
  • Oral Session
    Nutrition Research I
    07/14/2010