123 Salivary film thickness and MUC5B levels Association between salivary film thickness and the MUC5B levels The salivary film thickness of all intra-oral locations showed significant correlations with the MUC5B levels of the associated regions (Table 4). The correlation coefficients varied between 0.48 and 0.66, which can be considered as fair to moderate. A positive correlation indicates that when MUC5B levels are high, the salivary film thickness at the associated region is also high. Only the floor of the mouth did not have any significant correlation between the salivary film thickness and MUC5B levels for the total study sample. However, when this group was stratified on sex, it was found that females had a significant correlation for the floor of the mouth. For all other intra-oral regions, it was found that the correlation coefficient of both sex groups lay in the same range as the total study sample. Only females did not have any significant correlation between the salivary film thickness and the MUC5B levels at the anterior tongue (Table 4). Table 4: The correlation between the salivary film thickness at five intra-oral regions with the MUC5B level at the associated regions. Data are expressed as the Pearson correlation coefficient and biascorrected accelerated (Bca) 95% confidence interval. Correlation between film thickness and MUC5B levels at associated regions Correlation coefficient (total study population) Correlation coefficient (females) Correlation coefficient (males) Anterior part of the tongue 0.57 (0.42-0.74)** NS 0.63 (0.34-0.84)** Anterior part of the palate 0.66 (0.46-0.86)** 0.57 (-0.06-0.89)* 0.63 (0.33-0.87)** Posterior part of the palate 0.56 (0.33-0.78)** 0.61 (-0.11-0.90)* 0.59 (0.24-0.90)** Inside cheeks 0.48 (0.21-0.75)** 0.67 (0.08-0.85)** 0.54 (0.14-0.85)* Floor of the mouth NS 0.52 (0.18-0.82)* NS NS=Not Significant *Pearson correlation test p -value <0.05 ** Pearson correlation test p -value <0.01 Association between the salivary film thickness and the MUC5B levels at the palate with the palatal surface area The salivary film thickness and MUC5B levels at the anterior and posterior palate did not have any significant correlation with the palatal surface area (Pearson correlation p > 0.05). Because male participants had a significantly larger palatal surface area, this analysis was repeated after stratifying the participants based on their sex. The palatal surface areas of both female and male did not have any significant correlation with the salivary film thickness and/or MUC5B levels of the anterior and posterior palate (Pearson correlation 6
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