INVESTIGATION OF XEROSTOMIA IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

The authors investigated the prevalence of xerostomia in a group of 60 4 subjects participating in a rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, study to ex plore the relationship of reduced salivary flow symptoms and demograph ic, clinical and medical characteristics. Forty-three percent of these subjects exhibited one or more severe xerostomia symptoms. Separate a nalyses revealed that the subjects who had the most physical disease s ymptoms were at greater risk of having reduced salivary flow. The stud y's results suggest that patients with RA should be screened for xeros tomia symptoms so appropriate clinical interventions can be initiated.