title: Dry Eye Disease Patients with Xerostomia Report Higher Symptom Load and Have Poorer Meibum Expressibility.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to investigate if xerostomia (dry mouth) is associated with symptoms and signs of dry eye disease (DED). At the Norwegian Dry Eye Clinic, patients with symptomatic DED with different etiologies were consecutively included in the study. The patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmological work-up and completed self-questionnaires on symptoms of ocular dryness (Ocular Surface Disease Index [OSDI] and McMonnies Dry Eye Questionnaire) and the Sjögren's syndrome (SS) questionnaire (SSQ). Three hundred and eighteen patients (52% women and 48% men) with DED were included. Patient demographics were: 0 to 19 years (1%), 20 to 39 (25%), 40 to 59 (34%), 60 to 79 (35%) and 80 to 99 (5%). Xerostomia, defined as "daily symptoms of dry mouth the last three months" (as presented in SSQ) was reported by 23% of the patients. Female sex was more common among patients with xerostomia (81%) than among non-xerostomia patients (44%; P<0.001). Patients with xerostomia (60 ± 15 years) were older than those without xerostomia (51 ± 17; P<0.001). The use of prescription drugs was more prevalent among xerostomia patients (65%) than among non-xerostomia patients (35%; P<0.021; adjusted for age and sex). Patients with xerostomia had a higher OSDI score (19.0 ± 10.0) than those without xerostomia (12.9 ± 8.0; P<0.001). Moreover, xerostomia patients had more pathological meibum expressibility (0.9 ± 0.7) than those without xerostomia (0.7 ± 0.8; P = 0.046). Comparisons of OSDI and ocular signs were performed after controlling for the effects of sex, age and the number of systemic prescription drugs used. In conclusion, xerostomia patients demonstrated a higher DED symptom load and had poorer meibum expressibility than non-xerostomia patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.|The Norwegian Dry Eye Clinic, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Ida G
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4072-4607
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Fostad
authors.affiliation: The Norwegian Dry Eye Clinic, Oslo, Norway.|Department of Ophthalmology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Jon R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Eidet
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.|The Norwegian Dry Eye Clinic, Oslo, Norway.|Unit of Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.|Department of Ophthalmology, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Drammen, Norway.|Faculty of Health Sciences, Buskerud and Vestfold University College, Kongsberg, Norway.
authors.forename: Tor P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Utheim
authors.affiliation: The Norwegian Dry Eye Clinic, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Sten
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ræder
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Neil S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Lagali
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Edvard B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Messelt
authors.affiliation: Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Darlene A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Dartt
mesh_terms: D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000473:pathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000473:pathology*