title: Rapid decrease in salivary epidermal growth factor levels in patients with Sjögren's syndrome: A 3-year follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess changes in salivary epidermal growth factor (EGF) levels within three years and investigate the correlation between these changes and the severity of intraoral manifestations in patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three SS patients (14 primary SS and 9 secondary SS) and 14 controls were followed up for three years. 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). Changes in salivary flow rate, EGF level, and severity of intraoral manifestations were analyzed, along with associations among them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The OHIP-14 score significantly increased and the total salivary EGF output significantly decreased after three years in the SS group (10.2 ± 8.8 vs. 12.6 ± 9.2, p = 0.040; 10158.4 ± 9820.9 vs. 8352.8 ± 7813.3 pg/10 min, p = 0.032), though the salivary flow rate did not change. The decrease in total EGF output was especially high in patients with long disease duration and poor oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). In patients with poor OHRQoL, the change in total EGF output significantly correlated with the OHIP-14 score (r = - 0.847, p = 0.008). However, there was no correlation between the change in salivary flow rate and the OHIP-14 score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rapid decrease in salivary EGF level contributes to the progression of intraoral manifestations of SS.
authors: a Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine , Hyogo College of Medicine , Hyogo , Japan.
authors: Naoto
authors: N
authors: Azuma
authors: b Division of Kidney, Metabolism and Immunity, Department of Internal Medicine , Sakai City Hospital , Sakai , Japan.
authors: Yoshinori
authors: Y
authors: Katada
authors: a Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine , Hyogo College of Medicine , Hyogo , Japan.
authors: Sachie
authors: S
authors: Kitano
authors: a Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine , Hyogo College of Medicine , Hyogo , Japan.
authors: Masahiro
authors: M
authors: Sekiguchi
authors: a Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine , Hyogo College of Medicine , Hyogo , Japan.
authors: Masayasu
authors: M
authors: Kitano
authors: a Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine , Hyogo College of Medicine , Hyogo , Japan.
authors: Aki
authors: A
authors: Nishioka
authors: a Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine , Hyogo College of Medicine , Hyogo , Japan.|c Hashimoto Clinic for Rheumatic Diseases , Osaka , Japan.
authors: Naoaki
authors: N
authors: Hashimoto
authors: a Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine , Hyogo College of Medicine , Hyogo , Japan.
authors: Kiyoshi
authors: K
authors: Matsui
authors: a Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine , Hyogo College of Medicine , Hyogo , Japan.|d Division of Pharmacotherapy, Department of Pharmacy , School of Pharmacy, Hyogo University of Health Sciences , Kobe , Japan.
authors: Tsuyoshi
authors: T
authors: Iwasaki
authors: a Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine , Hyogo College of Medicine , Hyogo , Japan.
authors: Hajime
authors: H
authors: Sano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor
keywords: Epidermal growth factor; Intraoral manifestation; Oral mucosal involvement; Saliva; Sjögren's syndrome