title: Correlation between salivary epidermal growth factor levels and refractory intraoral manifestations in patients with Sjögren's syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess changes in salivary epidermal growth factor (EGF) levels and the correlation between these levels and the severity of intraoral manifestations in Sjögren's syndrome (SS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty SS patients and 23 controls were enrolled. Salivary EGF concentration was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and intraoral manifestations were evaluated using a short version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14). The associations among salivary flow rate, EGF levels and the severity of intraoral manifestations were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total salivary EGF output was significantly decreased in the SS patients compared with the controls (9237.6 ± 8447.0 vs. 13296.9 ± 7907.1 pg/10 min, respectively, p = 0.033). In the SS patients, total EGF output and salivary flow rate showed a strong positive correlation (rs = 0.824, p = 0.0005), while total EGF output and disease duration showed a negative correlation (rs = -0.484, p = 0.008). Further, total EGF output was significantly correlated with the OHIP-14 score (rs = -0.721, p = 0.012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The salivary flow rate and EGF levels are decreased in SS, and this deterioration in saliva quality causes refractory intraoral manifestations. Our findings have provided new therapeutic targets for SS.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine , Nishinomiya, Hyogo , Japan.
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Azuma
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katada
authors.forename: Sachie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitano
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sekiguchi
authors.forename: Masayasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitano
authors.forename: Aki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nishioka
authors.forename: Naoaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D012472:Salivation / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor
keywords: Epidermal growth factor; Intraoral manifestation; Oral mucosal involvement; Saliva; Sjögren's syndrome