title: High prevalence of hyposalivation in individuals with neurofibromatosis 1: a case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is one of the most common genetic diseases in humans and has widely variable expressivity. Oral manifestations are common, but there are no studies that investigated functional alterations in salivary glands in NF1. Our aim was to evaluate the salivary flow rate in NF1 individuals, comparing to a control group, and to investigate the possible causes and some consequences of salivary gland alteration.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a case-control study that evaluated the salivary flow rate of NF1 individuals (n = 49) and compared to an age and sex-matched control group. We have also investigated the possible causes and consequences of hyposalivation in NF1 individuals through anamnesis, a specific questionnaire, physical examination, tongue coating evaluation and cytopathological exam to assess the prevalence of oral candidiasis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hyposalivation at rest was present in 59% (29/49) of NF1 individuals in contrast to 22% (11/49) in the control group, being statistically significant (P <0.0001; Wilcoxon rank-sum test). The analysis of the adjusted residual showed that the prevalence of hyposalivation in NF1 individuals (46.9%) was 4-fold higher than in controls (10.2%). None of the possible causes of hyposalivation (medications, low liquid intake, caffeinated or stimulant drink use, mouth breathers, alcohol, smoke and plexiform neurofibroma close to or involving major salivary glands areas) had important impact on the salivary flow rate in NF1 individuals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hyposalivation may be a consequence of NF1, as occurs in other genetic diseases. More studies are necessary to understand if there is and what is the relationship between NF1 and hyposalivation.
authors.forename: Karin Soares
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: Rafaela Elvira
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Rozza-de-Menezes
authors.forename: Eloá Borges
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Luna
authors.forename: Lilian Machado de Sousa
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Raquel Richelieu Lima de Andrade
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Pontes
authors.forename: Paula Nascimento
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Letícia Vidaurre
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: de Aguiar
authors.forename: Eliane Pedra
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Dias
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012472:Salivation / Q000502:physiology*; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology