Background/Objectives: Adipokines and cytokines, secreted by adipocytes and immune cells, play key roles in metabolic and inflammatory processes. This study aimed to assess the association between salivary visfatin levels and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), determine a salivary visfatin cutoff associated with increased risk of this disease, and examine correlations among selected adipokines, cytokines, and gelatinases in serum and saliva of obese patients. Methods: The study included 65 participants (40 women and 25 men) with a body mass index (BMI) ranging from 30.0 to 39.9 kg/m2, who were divided into groups based on whether the salivary visfatin concentration exceeded the quantification limit (1.229 ng/mL). Body composition analysis was performed using the bioelectrical impedance method, quantitative assessment of hepatic steatosis was carried out using transient elastography, and the concentrations of selected adipokines, cytokines, and gelatinases were determined in serum and saliva. Results: A relationship was observed between lower BMI and salivary visfatin concentrations below the quantification limit (p = 0.017), and between the absence of MASLD and visfatin levels below the quantification threshold in saliva (p = 0.05). Higher concentrations of interleukin-1β (p = 0.003) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (p = 0.019) in saliva, as well as interleukin-6 (p = 0.002) in serum, were observed in the group with salivary visfatin levels above the quantification limit. Correlations were found between salivary and serum IL-6 concentrations (r = 0.30; p = 0.016) and between serum resistin and salivary IL-6 levels (r = 0.24; p = 0.056), as well as between serum IL-6 and salivary MMP-2 concentrations (r = 0.24; p = 0.059). Conclusions: In this pilot study, salivary visfatin levels were found to differ between obese individuals with and without MASLD and to be associated with selected anthropometric parameters and inflammatory markers, but the observed associations are exploratory and require confirmation.
Zyśk et al. (Mon,) studied this question.