Meeting abstract

Pilocarpine-Hydrocloride Has a Short-Time Effect on Reducing Xerostomia

A. Hladki
Ivan Alajbeg
Ana Cekić-Arambašin
Iva Alajbeg

Abstract

Xerostomia, i.e. oral dryness, is mainly caused by side effects of medications, immunologic diseases, e.g. Sy. Sjoegren, and radiation treatment for oral and neck cancer. There are variable, although far from satisfactory, treatment options, including that of muscarinic receptor agonist pilocarpine-hydrochloride. Pilocarpine treatment of salivary hypofunction is not yet an established method in croatia.
The aim of this preliminary study was to assess the autcome of oral administration of pilocarpin on minor salivary glands and whole saliva production, as well as to monitor possible side effects and patients subjective responses to treatment.
Is was a single blind-placebo controlled trial. Ten patients suffering from xerostomia underwent this trial. Patients with cardiac or pulmonary diseases were excludet, as well as those that did not show any increase in salivary flow rate after administration of ascorbic acid solution (chemical stimulant) at inclusion testing one week prior to the experiment. The experiment comprised 7 repeated measurements in time intervals of 15-30 min., from the baseline up to 2 h after single oral administration of 5 mg of pilocarpine hydrochloride ( 5 drops of slution, Pilokarpin 2%, pliva, Croatia). The flow rate of minor salivary glands was measured on the lower lip and palate by means of Periotron (Oraflow Inc., Plainview, USA) and whole saliva was collected in calibrated test tubes . A simple questionnaire was filled in to record patients subjective perception of treatment. The same procedure was repeated one week later, when dexpanthenol drops (DPanthenol, Ljekarne Zagreb, Croatia) were used as placebo instead of pilocarpine.
Pilocarpine increased salivary output and gave symptomatic relief in every patient. The differences in salivary output were significant both compared to baseline and to placebo controls (p = 0,01). There were no side effects during the trial, either after administration of pilocarpine; or placebo. After increasing salivary flow rate the action of pilocarpine decrease in time, which was recordable during the observation session.
Respecting possible contraindications and side effects, according to our finding pilocarpine should be regulary used in treatment of xerostomia.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

3268

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/3268

Publication date:

15.9.2003.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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