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Relationship between xerostomia and salivary flow rates in HIV-infected individuals
Wipawee Nittayananta1, Nilnara Chanowanna, Nannapat Pruphetkaew
1Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand. wipawee.ni@psu.ac.th
Aim:
The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between self-reported xerostomia and salivary flow rates among HIV-infected individuals.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was performed on 173 individuals (81 HIV-infected individuals, mean age: 32 years, and 92 non-HIV controls, mean age: 30 years). Subjective complaints of dry mouth, based on a self-report of xerostomia questions, and dry mouth, based on a visual analogue scale (VAS), were recorded along with measurements of salivary flow rate of both unstimulated and wax-stimulated whole saliva. The relationship between subjective responses to the xerostomia questions, the VAS of dry mouth, and objective measurements of salivary flow rates were analyzed.
Results:
Responses to the questions--Do you carry water or a saliva substitute? and Have you had taste disturbance?--were significantly different between HIV-infected and non-HIV individuals (P < 0.05). Individuals' responses to questions concerning dry mouth were significantly correlated with a low unstimulated salivary flow rate. A significant correlation between the VAS of dry mouth and salivary flow rates was observed (P = 0.023).
Conclusions:
Responses to self-reported xerostomia questions reflects low unstimulated salivary flow rates. Thus, questions concerning dry mouth might be useful tools to identify HIV-infected individuals with hyposalivation, especially at a resting stage.
