Effect of age on flow-rate, protein and electrolyte composition of stimulated whole saliva in healthy, non-smoking women.

As relatively little is known about the effect of age on salivary electrolytes we studied the composition of saliva as function of age to provide reference values for healthy non-smoking women. All non-medicated and non-smoking 30-59-year-old subjects (n=255) selected from among 1030 women participating in a screening program formed the material of the present study. Salivary calcium, inorganic phosphate, magnesium, sodium, potassium, protein and flow-rate of stimulated whole saliva were measured. We found age-related changes in salivary calcium and phosphate concentrations (p=0.001 and p=0.004, respectively, one-way ANOVA). Peak values occurred at around 50-54 years of age. Age had no effect on flow-rate, magnesium, sodium, potassium or proteins. The concentration of sodium correlated positively, while phosphate, potassium, magnesium and protein correlated negatively with the salivary flow-rate. Calcium was the only electrolyte which had no association with flow-rate. Our study provides reference values for salivary electrolytes of 30-59-year-old women.

Estrogen-progestin contraceptive use during adolescence prevents bone mass acquisition: a 4-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Estrogen-progestin contraception may affect estrogen production and alter the development of peak bone mass. STUDY DESIGN: A 4-year follow-up with 122 adolescent women aged 12-19 years. The data were divided into three groups based on estrogen-progestin contraceptive (EPC) use: (i) nonusers (n=52), (ii) 1-2 years of use (n=24) and (iii) use for more than 2 years (n=46). The estrogen dose of the preparations was < or =35 mcg. Height, weight, and the amount of exercise (ratio of work metabolic rate, h/week) as well as bone mineral content (BMC) of lumbar spine and femoral neck were measured repeatedly. RESULTS: There was a significant trend showing less of an increase in the mean adjusted BMC of lumbar spine in the group of adolescent women who had used EPC for more than 2 years compared with the two other groups. In the mean adjusted BMC of the femoral neck, there was a significant trend of a smaller increase in EPC users for more than 2 years compared with 1-2 years of use. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term EPC with low-dose estrogen preparations seems to suppress normal bone mineral accrual in adolescent women.

Prospective study on food fortification with vitamin D among adolescent females in Finland: minor effects.

Vitamin D insufficiency is common particularly during winter time. After the recommendation by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finnish fluid milks and margarines have been fortified with vitamin D since February 2003. The aims of the present study were to examine the impact of vitamin D fortification of food supplies on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (S-25(OH)D) concentrations and on daily dietary vitamin D intake among adolescent females. One hundred and forty-two girls of Caucasian ethnicity aged 12-18 years completed semi-quantitative FFQ from which the dietary vitamin D and Ca intakes were calculated. S-25(OH)D was measured by radioimmunoassay. The study was performed from February-March 2000 to February-March 2004, one year after the initiation of fortification. The mean dietary intake of vitamin D was < 7.5 microg in 91.5 % of the adolescent girls in 2000 and 83.8 % in 2004. The midwinter mean S-25(OH)D concentration did not change significantly during the follow-up period (48.3 v. 48.1 nmol/l, NS). The proportion of participants who had S-25(OH)D concentration < 50 nmol/l was 60.6 % in 2000 and 65.5 % in 2004. Only 7.0 % of the participants had an adequate S-25(OH)D ( >or= 75 nmol/l) level in 2000 or 4 years later. The vitamin D fortification of fluid milks and margarines was inadequate to prevent vitamin D insufficiency. There are numerous adolescent girls and women who are not reached by the current fortification policy. Therefore new innovative and feasible ways of improving vitamin D nutrition are urged.

Salivary calcium reflects skeletal bone density of heavy smokers.

OBJECTIVE: Our recent studies suggest, that elevated calcium concentration of saliva is characteristic of periodontitis. In this study we analyzed the effect of smoking on salivary calcium and bone density by comparing the level of salivary calcium and the ultrasound scale of bone density of heavy smokers to those of non-smokers. DESIGN: Salivary samples were collected from 603 women (50-62 years) participating in a pre-screen referral program for osteoporosis. Out of this group a total of 577 were accepted for the present study. General health, medications and tobacco smoking were recorded. The group included 487 non-smokers, 37 moderate smokers (1-10 cigarettes per day) and 53 heavy smokers (>10 cigarettes per day). Bone density was measured at the right heel by the quantitative ultrasound technique. Calcium and phosphate concentrations of saliva were measured and expressed as microg/ml of saliva. RESULTS: The ultrasonographic variables of the heel, broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), speed of sound (SOS) and T-score (a standard deviation unit from mean values of healthy young adults) of heavy smokers were significantly lower than those of women who did not smoke (P = 0.007, 0.014 and 0.011, respectively). Salivary calcium concentration of heavy smokers 70.5 (14.6) microg/ml was higher than that of non-smokers 64.0 (14.1) microg/ml (P = 0.001). There were no significant differences in salivary phosphate level or in the salivary flow rate between heavy smokers and non-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Heavy smokers seem to have lower bone mineral density and higher salivary calcium than their non-smoking counterparts. We suggest that the high salivary calcium concentration of smokers is in connection with skeletal calcium disturbances.

Increased serum soluble transferrin receptor concentration detects subclinical iron deficiency in healthy adolescent girls.

The objective of this study was to investigate whether the measurement of serum soluble transferrin receptor could detect subclinical iron deficiency in adolescent girls, and to assess the possible specificity-compromising effects of growth, menarche, and intensive physical activity. The study population consisted of 191 physically active (control) girls aged 9-15 years. Dietary iron intake was estimated at baseline, and after 6 and 12 months. Iron status of the subjects was assessed by haematological laboratory tests at 6 and 12 months. A 3-month iron and multivitamin supplementation was started after the visit at 6 months. The supplementation consistently decreased soluble transferrin receptor concentrations in subjects with initial values greater than 2.4 mg/l, which was determined by regression analysis to be the cut-off value for iron-deficient erythropoiesis. The 95% reference interval in the iron-replete subjects (0.9-2.4 mg/l) was consistent with this finding. In our population, the incidence of subclinical iron deficiency was 10%. Growth or physical activity had no effect on the iron status. This study shows that, similarly to adults, soluble transferrin receptor measurement can be used to detect subclinical iron deficiency in adolescents (competitive athletes or normal controls). We suggest that soluble transferrin receptor concentrations above 2.4 mg/l indicate clinically relevant iron deficiency in adolescents.

Vitamin D and attainment of peak bone mass among peripubertal Finnish girls: a 3-y prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the effect of vitamin D status on bone gain in adolescents. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to examine whether vitamin D status is associated with accrual of bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral apparent density (BMAD). DESIGN: This 3-y prospective study examined the association between changes in BMD or BMAD and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] in 171 healthy Finnish girls aged 9-15 y. Lumbar spine and femoral neck BMDs were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: Baseline 25(OH)D correlated significantly with the unadjusted 3-y change in BMD at the lumbar spine (r = 0.35, P < 0.001) and femoral neck (r = 0.32, P < 0.001) in all participants. The difference from baseline in adjusted 3-y BMD accumulation between those with severe hypovitaminosis D [25(OH)D < 20 nmol/L] and those with a normal vitamin D status [25(OH)D > or = 37.5 nmol/L] was 4% (12.7%, 13.1%, and 16.7% for the lowest, middle, and highest tertiles of 25(OH)D, respectively; P for trend = 0.01) at the lumbar spine in the girls with advanced sexual maturation at baseline (n = 129). Moreover, the adjusted change in lumbar spine BMD was 27% greater in the highest vitamin D intake tertile than in the lowest tertile in the same girls (P for trend = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Pubertal girls with hypovitaminosis D seem to be at risk of not reaching maximum peak bone mass, particularly at the lumbar spine. Dietary enrichment or supplementation with vitamin D should be considered to ensure an adequate vitamin D status.

Salivary variables in relation to tobacco smoking and female sex steroid hormone-use in 30 to 59-year-old women.

Several systemic conditions may have an influence on oral health. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has a positive effect on alveolar bone of menopausal women and smoking a negative effect. However, little is known about their effect on saliva. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of hormone-use and tobacco smoking on the composition of saliva, in particular on the inorganic constituents. Salivary samples were collected from a representative study group comprising 1,013 women (30-59 years) participating in a pre-screen referral program for osteoporosis. The participants were divided into 2 subgroups according to age. The younger group (< or = 45 years) comprised 413 women and the older group (> or = 50 years) 600 women. Salivary calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, inorganic phosphate, total protein, and flow rate of paraffin-stimulated saliva were measured. In the older age group, female sex steroid users (hormone users) had lower salivary protein concentrations than non-users. Smoking was associated with high salivary calcium, magnesium, and potassium levels in the group of older participants. Neither tobacco smoking nor female sex steroid hormones had any significant effect on the salivary composition in the younger age group. In conclusion, smoking was reflected more clearly than female sex steroid hormone-use in the inorganic composition of saliva in the older age group. The salivary composition was not affected by hormone-use or by smoking among the younger age group.