title: Stimulated saliva flow rate patterns in children: A six-year longitudinal study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find out whether the stimulated saliva flow rate (SSFR) is a variable and unpredictable characteristic as healthy children grow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven-year-old school children (53 boys and 57 girls) were recruited to measure their SSFR in mL/min. Paraffin-stimulated saliva was collected from each child at baseline and once annually, over six years. Forty-four boys and 46 girls remained in the cohort (dropout rate 18%). Cluster analysis was applied to evaluate the natural grouping of individuals according to their SSFR. Partition analysis was applied to calculate the SSFR cut-off value to predict a child's salivation trend.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cluster analysis revealed that as they grew-up these children consistently showed one of three different SSFR patterns. The cut-off values to predict a child's salivation trend were 1.76 mL/min for the high SSFR cluster, and 0.5 mL/min for the low SSFR cluster.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that a high or low SSFR is a constant individual trait in children.
authors.affiliation: Area for Research in Clinical Sciences, Health Attention Department, Metropolitan Autonomous University, Xochimilco Unit, Mexico City, Mexico. tlsperez@correo.xoc.uam.mx
authors.forename: Sánchez-Pérez
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Leonor
authors.forename: Saénz-Martínez
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Laura
authors.forename: Irigoyen-Camacho
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Esther
authors.forename: Zepeda-Zepeda
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Marco
authors.forename: Acosta-Gío A
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Enrique
authors.forename: Méndez-Ramírez
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ignacio
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D012472:Salivation / Q000502:physiology*; D012636:Secretory Rate; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical