The cilical effects of electrostimulation on salivary function of Sj�gren's syndrome patients

Abstract

A multi-center double-blind study of an electro-stimulator device was conducted to evaluate its ability to increase the production of saliva and reduce clinical symptomatology. A total of 77 Sjögren's syndrome patients at three centers were assigned to active devices (n = 40) or to placebo devices (n = 37). There were 2 male and 32 female patients assigned to active devices, and 1 male and 36 female patients assigned to placebo devices. The age range with the greatest number of patients was 60-69 years making up more than 31% of the study population. The selection criteria required the patients to have no greater than 0.2 g/min of whole salivary production (approximately 19% of normal salivary production). At the start of the study, the patients assigned the active device had a mean salivary production of 0.06 ml per min (6% of normal) and patients assigned placebo devices had a mean salivary production of 0.07 ml per min (7% of normal). There were three scheduled visits, 2 weeks apart, over a treatment period of 4 weeks. At all visits, the patients using active devices showed a statistically greater (P = 0.005 to 0.02) increase in the production of saliva than placebo patients. The study also evaluated the reduction of patients symptoms associated with xerostomia. Patients showed significant improvement in (1) difficulty in swallowing and (2) burning tongue (P = 0.008). Some patients on their initial visit had no response to the active device and did not show a significant response at subsequent visits.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Neuropeptides of the autonomic nervous system in Sjogren's syndrome

“…7 It has been widely accepted that normal salivary flow is under neural regulation: parasympathetic stimulation increases salivary flow, whereas stressful stimuli decrease it via central sympathetic activation 8. Accordingly, a parasympathomimetic drug, pilocarpine, has been found useful in the treatment of dry mouth9-12 and electrostimulation, which augments normal physiological salivary reflexes, stimulates production of saliva in SS 13. The aim of the study was therefore to measure the salivary content of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY), which in labial salivary glands are found mainly in the parasympathetic and sympathetic arm, respectively, of the autonomic nervous system.…”

Corticosteroid irrigation of parotid gland for treatment of xerostomia in patients with Sjogren's syndrome

“…In this study, 23 of 28 patients showed per cent increases of salivary flow rate of more than 40% after the first series of corticosteroid irrigations, with the average per cent increase being 123%. An electrostimulator has been used to increase the salivary flow rate in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome 1. The treatment was successful and resulted in an increase in the production of saliva associated with a reduction of patients’ symptoms, including difficulty in swallowing and the burning sensation of the tongue.…”

Established and Novel Approaches for the Management of Hyposalivation and Xerostomia

“…Human experiments showed that the application of an electrical current on the skin covering the parotid gland area and on the oral mucosa augmented salivary secretion [46,47]. A recent development is a device aimed at stimulating salivation by the application of electrical excitation in the area of the lower third molar ('wisdom tooth').…”