title: Inter- and intra-individual variations in saliva secretion rates--a comparison of unsupervised and supervised sample collection.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate if unsupervised measurement of saliva secretion could be used instead of supervised measurement at the dental clinic. One hundred patients attending a dental clinic for regular dental care were asked to participate (group A). A control group of 40 subjects was recruited (group B). Saliva samples were collected and stimulated saliva secretion rates were determined. After instruction, subjects in both groups collected the first sample at day 1 at the dental clinic. Subjects in group A continued to collect 2 more samples at day 1 and 3 samples at each of day 3 and day 5 outside the clinic. Subjects in group B did 3 saliva samplings at day 1, day 3, and day 5 under supervision at the dental clinic. In total 9 samples from each subject were collected. Median secretion rates in group A were, in day 1, 2.1 ml/min (range: 0.1-5.1); day 3, 1.9 ml/min (range: 0.1-5.3); and day 5, 1.9 ml/min (range: 0.1-5.5). Corresponding rates in group B were, in day 1, 2.1 ml/min (range: 0.6-4.4); day 3, 2.0 ml/min (range: 0.7-4.6); and day 5, 2.0 ml/min (range: 0.9-4.1). No significant difference in secretion rates appeared between groups A and B at day 1, 3, and 5 or during the 5 days of observations. Analysis of intra-individual differences in secretion rates showed that in group Athere was a significant difference between measurements, while in group B measurements did not differ significantly. The intra-individual variation expressed as mean coefficient of variation during the 5-day period was 20.4% in group A and 17.3% in group B. In conclusion, measurement of saliva secretion capacity under unsupervised conditions may be a feasible method to judge saliva secretion capacity in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Oral Medicine, Public Dental Service, Västra Götalandsregionen, Göteberg, Sweden. johan.blomgren@vgregion.se
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blomgren
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hasséus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D012636:Secretory Rate; D016353:Self-Examination; D013048:Specimen Handling; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000175:diagnosis*