Xerostomic complaints induced by an anti-sialogogue in healthy young vs. older adults.
Complaints of xerostomia and salivary hypofunction are common in older adults. However, recent studies reported that dehydration-induced salivary hypofunction caused fewer xerostomic complaints in older compared with young adults. This may predispose older adults to developing oral problems that will subsequently not receive attention from health care providers. Since many medications are known to inhibit salivation, this study attempted to determine if an anticholinergic drug (glycopyrrolate) had a differential effect on xerostomic complaints in young vs. older adults. Eighteen young (age 20-38 yrs) and 18 older (age 60-77 yrs) healthy adults were given a 4.0 micrograms/kg dose of i.v. glycopyrrolate. For 6 hrs after drug administration, stimulated parotid salivary flow was collected, and an eight-item Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) subjective xerostomia test was given. At several time points post-i.v. glycopyrrolate, salivary flow rates were consistently lower in older compared with young adults. For some measures of xerostomic complaint (time to first complaint; time to maximum complaint; mean maximum complaint), there were no age-related differences for all VAS items. However, a trend for increased xerostomic complaints in older adults was demonstrated (time to recovery; total duration of complaint; number xerostomic at 6 hrs). These findings suggest that, given equal doses of an anti-sialogogue, salivary hypofunction is greater in healthy older adults, while increased complaints of xerostomia are not as consistent.
Patel
P S
PS
Hospital Dentistry, State University of New York at Stony Brook, USA.
Ghezzi
E M
EM
Ship
J A
JA
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006024:Glycopyrrolate / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D012472:Salivation / Q000187:drug effects*; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000139:chemically induced*
D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D006024:Glycopyrrolate