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E. Johnston1, M. Shafiee1, Z., Longworth1, H. Vatanparast1
1University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK

Dietitians often use measurements of growth in practice and can benefit from a tool that provides non-invasive data. Nutrient intake and external growth patterns do not provide complete insight into the internal and biochemical data related to growth. Serum biomarkers are widely studied to evaluate growth-related factors, but its invasive collection may cause physical and emotional stress in children. As a result, interest in the use of saliva samples as a non-invasive tool for assessing growth-related biomarkers of children is growing. However, there is no systematic evaluation of the full range of salivary biomarkers for assessing growth in healthy children.

To provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of salivary biomarkers in evaluating growth and identifying knowledge gaps in the current literature through a comprehensive scoping review.

We conducted a literature search of the following databases: Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science (Web of Knowledge), Cochrane library, and Global health databases (up to January 1, 2023). Population-based studies of any design were included, except for review-style articles. Of the 270 studies identified, 14 met inclusion criteria. We identified 2 additional articles through hand searching.

While there are emerging advances in the identification of salivary biomarkers for assessing healthy children's growth, uncertainties remain. Although insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) showed positive correlations with skeletal maturity in several studies, further longitudinal research is required. Salivary dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) showed mixed relationships with growth, and while some evidence suggests a relationship between salivary leptin and anthropometric measurements, such as BMI, further research is needed. The role of salivary ghrelin in assessing growth in children remains uncertain.

The use of salivary biomarkers could provide a valuable contribution to the evaluation of healthy growth in children and could complement traditional methods. However, more research is needed to determine their efficacy and clinical relevance.

Dietitians can apply this data to advocate for research related to non-invasive tools that are applicable to outpatient and community practitioners for assessing growth.

2022 Dentistry-PN Interdisciplinary Summer Student Program Grant.