Salivary hormones and adipokines are associated with glycemic control and early renal and cardiometabolic markers in children and young adults with type 1 diabetes

Purpose Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is recognized as a complex metabolic condition associated with hormonal dysregulation and early complications. This study aimed to evaluate salivary metabolic hormones and adipokines in children and young adults with T1D, and to assess their association with early markers of metabolic and vascular complications. Methods Demographic, anthropometric, and clinical data were collected from 349 children and young adults with T1D, classified according to weight status. Salivary concentrations of metabolic hormones and adipokines were measured using a multiplex immunoassay. Results Compared with normal weight (NW) individuals, overweight/obese (OW) showed worse clinical outcomes, including higher HbA1c, lower eGFR, higher blood pressure, lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and higher triglycerides. No differences in salivary hormone concentrations were observed according to weight status, while several hormones were significantly associated with clinical outcomes. HbA1c results inversely associated with ghrelin and glucagon-like peptide−1 (GLP-1) (p-value = 0.009 and p-value = 0.027, respectively), and positively with plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) (p-value = 0.022). Renal function showed associations with ghrelin (p-value = 0.024), leptin (p-value <0.001), and visfatin (p-value = 0.002). Blood pressure was associated with ghrelin (p-value = 0.025) and leptin (p-value = 0.039), while lipid profile parameters were associated with ghrelin (HDL-C, p-value = 0.019) and glucagon (triglycerides, p-value = 0.034). Conclusion Salivary metabolic hormones and adipokines are associated with early markers of metabolic and vascular dysfunction in young individuals with T1D, independently of weight status. These findings suggest a potential role for these biomarkers in early diabetes-related complications.