Age-related changes in structure of labial minor salivary glands

Despite an increasing number of reports on the effect of various systemic diseases on human labial salivary glands, the influence of the patient's age on the morphology of these glands has not previously been considered. A total of 78 healthy individuals aged from 19 to 87 years were biopsied, and their labial salivary glands were histologically assessed in a blind manner using criteria previously outlined by the author. The parameters recorded were: acinar atrophy, ductal dilatation, fatty change, fibrosis, periacinar callus formation, and inflammatory infiltration. Acinar atrophy was not found in individuals aged under 50 years, but after this it increased progressively as a function of age. The degree of fibrosis rose with advancing age as did fatty infiltration--although less linearly than fibrosis. Ductal dilatation and callus formation were not infrequent from age 50 onwards. Foci of inflammatory cells first appeared in the age group 30-39 years and the focus score was higher in older age groups. The results clearly indicate that an age- and sex-matched control group is mandatory when salivary gland changes associated with systemic diseases are evaluated.