Histological and functional changes in the salivary glands in thalassaemia major.
Oral salivary secretion and oral histology in 15 multi-transfused adult thalassaemia homozygotes was studied. Iron stores of minor salivary glands were also histochemically determined. Salivary secretion in multi-transfused thalassaemia patients was subclinically decreased, but no clear correlation was evident between salivary secretion impairment and salivary gland destruction by iron deposition, lymphocyte infiltration and fibrosis. The underlying mechanism remains to be determined.
Vaiopoulos
G
G
Department of Medicine, University of Athens School of Medicine, Greece.
Konstantopoulos
K
K
Kittas
C
C
Hatzakis
A
A
Bogdanos
K
K
Mastrovassilopoulos
A
A
Meletis
J
J
Loukopoulos
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral