Chronic kidney disease (CKD) encompasses a spectrum of different pathophysiological processes associated with abnormal kidney function and progressive decline in glomerular filteration rate, leading to abnormal blood urea, creatinine levels and electrolyte disturbances. It is a worldwide medical and public health challenge due to high risk of progression to end stage renal disease (ESRD), increased cardiovascular burden and high management costs. Patients with CKD are subjected to repeated blood sampling to measure blood urea and serum creatinine, resulting in more pronounced anaemia. Frequent drawing of blood also adds to the psychological trauma to the patients. So to assess renal function in patients with CKD, an alternative sample source, other than blood is being investigated. Human saliva is a unique fluid secreted by major and minor salivary glands. Whole saliva is composed of components that originate from salivary glandular and non salivary glandular source. Various components of saliva are either passively diffused or actively transported directly from serum into the saliva through oral mucosa. Hence concentration of various solutes in saliva reflects the concentration of that solute in the serum. Collection of saliva being an easily accessible and non-invasive sample source is less painstaking for the patients. Thus, estimation of urea and creatinine in saliva may be considered an alternative to serum estimation and same may be used for following up patients with CKD. When the patients with CKD undergo dialysis, fall in blood urea and serum creatinine is expected. Our study was aimed to assess the correlation of salivary urea and creatinine with blood urea and serum creatinine in patients with CKD and to assess the change in salivary urea and creatinine with blood urea and serum creatinine in patients with CKD undergoing dialysis.
