title: [Applicability of syalometry and other instruments to evaluate xerostomia and xerophtalmia in a Sjögren's Syndrome outpatient clinic].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the applicability and utility of unstimulated syalometry and instruments of evaluation of sicca complaints in a Sjögren's syndrome outpatient clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed unstimulated syalometry to 45 consecutive Primary Sjögren's Syndrome patients (PSS) and 21 healthy asymptomatic individuals age and sex-matched. PSS patients were further evaluated with Schirmer's test. We applied 3 published questionnaires to PSS patients: Xerostomia Inventory (XI), Oral Health Impact Profile-short form (OHIP) and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), and correlated the results with syalometry and Schirmer's test. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS (Mann-Whitney U-test and Spearman's correlation).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Salivary flux was significantly lower in PSS patients, as compared to controls (0.08+/-0.01 ml/min versus 0.38+/-0.25 ml/min, p=0.000), and decreased with age. Syalometry didn't correlate with Schirmer's test. OHIP scores (mean 26.8 points, ranging from 2 to 43 for a maximum of 56 points) didn't correlate with syalometry neither with Schirmer's test, but showed an association with the XI (p<0.0005) and OSDI (p<0.0005) tests. The XI questionnaire (mean 28.4 points, ranging from 11 to 41 for a maximum of 44 points) correlated with syalometry (p=0.018), with the OHIP questionary (p<0.0005) and with the OSDI scale (p=0.004), although it didn't correlate with Schirmer's test. OSDI scores (mean 56.5 points, ranging from 7 to 90 for a maximum of 100 points) didn't correlate with Schirmer's test neither with syalometry, but associated with the XI (p=0.004) and OHIP (p<0.0005) scales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unstimulated syalometry is useful in the evaluation of patients suspected of suffering from Sjögren's syndrome, since it can confirm salivary hypofunction in a quick and cheap manner, allowing to differentiate between healthy individuals and patients. In a specialized clinic, the immediate availability of a salivary functional test is important in the classification of PSS or sicca syndrome. The xerostomia and xerophtalmia impact scales were mutually concordant, and since they evaluate the effects of the disease through time, could be helpful in our daily consultation.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Português de Reumatologia, Apartado 13051, 1050-051 Lisboa. fduartebarcelos@gmail.com
authors.forename: Filipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barcelos
authors.forename: José Vaz
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Patto
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parente
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Cláudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miguel
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Teixeira
mesh_terms: D019937:Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014985:Xerophthalmia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology