Salivary dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels in patients with the complaint of burning mouth: a case-control study.
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to evaluate salivary dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels, salivary flow rate (SFR), depression, and hopelessness in patients with the complaint of burning mouth (BM).


METHODS
Thirty female patients with BM and 30 age-matched control women without any complaint of burning mouth were enrolled. After anamnesis and oral examination, the salivary flow rate was determined. Depression and hopelessness were evaluated by the application of inventories. Two saliva samples were collected for DHEA analysis.


RESULTS
Dysgeusia (P = .045) and xerostomia (P = .003) were significantly higher in the BM group. The BM patients showed significantly lower salivary flow rate, both under stimulation (P = .001) and at rest (P < .001). Significant differences between the groups were not found in the depression (P = .416) or hopelessness (P = .597) scores. The BM group revealed significantly lower salivary DHEA levels in the morning samples (P = .003).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with BM exhibit decreased morning salivary DHEA as well as dysgeusia and hyposalivation more frequently than control subjects. Additional investigations are needed to clarify this association.
Division of Stomatology and Prevention of Buccomaxillofacial Cancer, School of Dentistry, Hospital São Lucas, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Carolina Sommer
CS
Dias Fernandes
Fernanda Gonçalves
FG
Salum
Denise
D
Bandeira
Josiane
J
Pawlowski
Clarice
C
Luz
Karen
K
Cherubini
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002054:Burning Mouth Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000032:analysis*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D004408:Dysgeusia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008047:Lip Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009013:Morale; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000502:physiology; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014060:Tongue Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology
D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone