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Comparative Study
. 2013 Dec;33(12):3079-82.
doi: 10.1007/s00296-012-2611-1. Epub 2012 Dec 29.

Hyposalivation in autoimmune diseases

Etsuko Maeshima  1 , Kanako Furukawa, Shinichiro Maeshima, Hiroya Koshiba, Wataru Sakamoto
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Hyposalivation in autoimmune diseases

Etsuko Maeshima et al. Rheumatol Int. 2013 Dec.

Abstract

We have investigated the prevalence of dry mouth among patients with autoimmune diseases other than Sjögren's syndrome. One hundred and forty-four patients, excluding patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome, were enrolled in this study. The volume of saliva secreted was measured with the screening technique for estimation of salivary flow, which uses a filter paper for diagnosing dry mouth. Disturbed salivary secretion was observed in 84 (58.3 %) of the 144 patients. In the case of patients free of Sjögren's syndrome, the prevalence of disturbed salivary secretion differed significantly among the disease groups (P < 0.05), with the prevalence being over 50 % in all disease groups other than the rheumatoid arthritis group and the highest in the systemic sclerosis group. There was significant positive correlation between the number of colored spots and oral visual analog scale score (r = 0.45, P < 0.0001). Autoimmune diseases can be accompanied by salivary gland dysfunction, regardless of the presence/absence of complication by Sjögren's syndrome. In the present study, the screening technique for estimation of salivary flow, which uses a filter paper for diagnosing dry mouth, was shown to be a useful means of detecting salivary gland dysfunction.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
In the case of patients with SjS, the prevalence of disturbed salivary secretion did not differ depending on the underlying disease, and its prevalence was high in all disease groups. In the case of patients free of SjS, the prevalence of disturbed salivary secretion differed significantly among the disease groups (P < 0.05), with the prevalence being over 50 % in all disease groups other than the RA group and the highest in the SSc group
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
There was significant positive correlation between the number of colored spots and oral VAS score (r = 0.45, P < 0.0001), indicating that the volume of saliva secreted decreased with increase in the subjective sensation of oral dryness
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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