In the future, diabetes will be monitored with saliva tests

ROME - A new non-invasive test could help monitor diabetes. In the future, monitoring could in fact pass from saliva and no longer from the drop of blood. An international research team coordinated by the University of Strathclyde developed this new method. In an article published in Plos One, scholars have described this system that would become the alternative of the current blood glucose monitoring practice. Tests, currently conducted in the laboratory, have shown an accuracy rate of 95.2%. "The blood test for the screening, monitoring and diagnosis of diabetes is widely practiced but it is rather invasive and painful - explains Matthew Balker, lead researcher of the project - The constant need to pierce the fingers several times a day for the most part part of the patients can lead to the development of calluses, as well as difficulties in obtaining blood samples. Furthermore, not everyone would like to give blood and there are circumstances in which this could be dangerous. "


Saliva reflects different physiological functions of the body and therefore its biomarkers could be an alternative to blood for early monitoring. The work was conducted together with scholars from the University of Uberlandia in Minas Gerais, from Vale do Paraíba in São Paulo, Brazil, and from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.