Relationships between the amount of saliva and medications in elderly individuals.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate medications that are related to volume of saliva in the elderly.


BACKGROUND
In the elderly, many cases of mouth dryness may represent side effects of medication.


METHODS
The volume of unstimulated saliva was measured for 30 s (cotton roll test), and with stimulation for 3 min (gum test) in 368 subjects 79-80 years old (177 men, 191 women). Medications were investigated using subject's medication notebooks.


RESULTS
Mean volumes of unstimulated and stimulated saliva were 0.14±0.13 and 4.30±2.54 ml respectively. Significant differences were seen between gender and mean volume of saliva. The volume of unstimulated saliva was 0.16±0.15 ml for men and 0.11±0.10 ml for women. The volume of stimulated saliva was 4.99±2.67 ml for men and 3.67±2.25 ml for women. The percentage of subjects taking medication was 64.7% (238/368). Mean number of medications was 2.08±2.26, with no significant difference with gender (2.01±2.37 for men, 2.16±2.16 for women). In a stepwise multiple regression analysis with volume of saliva as the objective variable and number of drugs by category as explanatory variables, significant explanatory variables in addition to gender and number of medications were blood-coagulating agents, Ca antagonists and peptic ulcer drugs for volume of unstimulated saliva, and diabetes medications and peptic ulcer drugs for volume of stimulated saliva.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that differences exist between gender in volume of saliva for elderly individuals, and that the volume of saliva is affected by the number and type of medications.
Ichikawa
Kana
K
Department of Oral Health and Welfare, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.
Sakuma
Shihoko
S
Yoshihara
Akihiro
A
Miyazaki
Hideo
H
Funayama
Saori
S
Ito
Kayoko
K
Igarashi
Atsuko
A
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002638:Chewing Gum; D003029:Coagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004358:Drug Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D019338:Polypharmacy; D012463:Saliva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors
D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D002638:Chewing Gum; D003029:Coagulants; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents