HbA1c Levels and Oral Candida albicans Burden in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35916/thmr.v8i2.160Keywords:
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, HbA1c, Oral Candidiasis, Candida albicans, Glycemic ControlAbstract
Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia, which may increase salivary glucose levels and facilitate the growth of Candida albicans in the oral cavity. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is a widely used indicator of long-term glycemic control and may be associated with oral Candida colonization in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. This study aimed to analyze the association between HbA1c levels and Candida albicans colony counts in oral-rinse specimens among patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. This analytical observational study used a cross-sectional design and included 33 patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus at the Posyandu of Puskesmas Guntung Manggis, Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, using total sampling. Data collection included blood glucose, triglyceride, and HbA1c measurements, as well as identifying and quantifying Candida albicans in oral-rinse specimens using CHROMagar and colony-forming unit (CFU/mL) counts. We assessed data normality using the Shapiro-Wilk test, followed by Spearman's rank correlation analysis. Most respondents were female (60.6%) and aged 55–64 years (48.5%). A total of 63.6% of respondents had HbA1c levels in the diabetic category (?6.5%). Regarding presumptive Candida albicans colony counts, 12.1% of respondents had elevated counts (400–1000 CFU/mL), while 9.1% had a high Candida burden (>1000 CFU/mL). Spearman's rank correlation analysis demonstrated significant positive correlations between Candida albicans colony counts and blood glucose (r = 0.470, p = 0.006), triglyceride levels (r = 0.366, p = 0.036), and HbA1c levels (r = 0.382, p = 0.028). These findings indicate that higher HbA1c levels are associated with higher presumptive Candida albicans colony counts in oral-rinse specimens among patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
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