title: Xerostomia is associated with old age and poor appetite in patients on chronic hemodialysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to assess variables associated with xerostomia in patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study of 75 HD patients at an outpatient HD service. Demographic, clinical (renal disease, HD regimen/duration, Charlson comorbidity index, activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living [IADL], body mass index), and laboratory (hemoglobin, albumin, interleukin-6 [IL-6], and parathyroid hormone) parameters were recorded. We assessed the appetite through the Hemodialysis Study Appetite questionnaire and xerostomia through the Xerostomia Inventory (XI). A single question ("How often does your mouth feel dry?"; never = Class 1, almost never = Class 2, occasionally = Class 3, often = Class 4, very often = Class 5) was also included in the study questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  The main outcome measure was factors correlated with XI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median XI score was 18 (min-max = 11-33). Forty patients had an XI score of 18 or less (Group 1) and between 18 and 35 (Group 2). In Group 2, age, Charlson comorbidity index score, and number of patients with poor/very poor appetite were significantly higher. At the univariate analysis, the score of the XI was significantly associated with age, appetite, IADL, Charlson comorbidity index, and serum IL-6 levels. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the XI was independently associated with age and appetite. Thirty-one patients were in Class 1 to 2, 23 were in Class 3, and 21 were in Class 4 to 5. In Classes 4 to 5, age and the number of patients with poor/very poor appetite were higher (P = .012 and .09, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Xerostomia is associated with old age and poor appetite in patients on chronic HD.
authors.affiliation: Hemodialysis Service, Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Catholic University, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: maubosso@tin.it.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bossola
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Di Stasio
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giungi
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vulpio
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Papa
authors.forename: Fausto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tortorelli
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tazza
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001066:Appetite; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6