Сlinical evaluation of xerostomia manifestations in young-old and middle-old adults

Relevance. The subjective evaluation and analysis of clinical manifestations and risk factors for the development of xerostomia in young- and middle-old adults living in Novosibirsk and the Novosibirsk region plays a leading role in choosing the treatment strategy for this category of patients.Material and methods. A single-stage open study involved 101 people, of whom 48% (n = 49) were male and 52% (n = 52) were female. The average age of the examined was 66.3 [60.0; 88.0] years; 64 subjects were young-old patients (60.0; 75.0), and 37 subjects were middle-old patients (75.0; 88.0). All examined patients underwent an assessment of their dental status and subjective evaluation of xerostomia severity using the validated Russian version of the "The Summated Xerostomia Inventory" (XI). Xerostomia diagnosis in the study patients included the examination according to "The Challacombe Scale of Clinical Oral Dryness" (CSCOD) and sialometry. Taking records of comorbidities, malnutrition syndrome, systemic medications, and bad habits helped to study the risk factors for xerostomia development.Results. The analysis of the subjective evaluation and signs in older patients most frequently revealed moderate xerostomia. There was a moderate negative correlation between the age of the examined and the salivary secretion rate (ρ = -0.578, p < 0.01). Women more often showed severe xerostomia (p < 0.001). The examination of 87.6% of the subjects revealed xerostomia manifestations, confirmed by clinical signs and laboratory data. In 12.4% of patients with complaints and clinical signs of xerostomia, sialometry did not confirm xerostomia.Conclusion. The study results showed a decrease in the secretion rate in older patients with age. In women, complaints and clinical and laboratory signs of xerostomia were more pronounced. Patients' subjective assessment of dry mouth manifestations did not always correspond to the xerostomia clinical and laboratory diagnostic data. The prevalence of xerogenic risk factors was established in young-old and middle-old patients.