Serum and stimulated whole saliva parathyroid hormone in menopausal women with oral dry feeling.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Case-control study
PubMed 19386515 · doi:10.1016/j.tripleo.2009.01.024
What was done
A case-control study evaluated 76 postmenopausal women (38 cases with oral dryness and 38 controls without oral dryness) at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Oral dryness severity was measured using the Xerostomia Inventory (XI) score. Stimulated whole saliva flow rate was determined, and serum and salivary calcium (colorimetric Arsenazo reaction) and parathyroid hormone (PTH, by ELISA) concentrations and outputs were compared between groups and correlated with XI scores.
What was found
Salivary calcium concentration and output, salivary PTH concentration and output, and serum PTH were significantly higher in women with oral dryness compared with controls. Serum calcium concentration and stimulated salivary flow rate did not differ significantly between groups. XI score correlated significantly with serum PTH (r = 0.387, P = .004), salivary PTH concentration (r = 0.382, P = .002), salivary PTH output (r = 0.346, P = .007), salivary calcium concentration (r = 0.326, P = .013), and salivary calcium output (r = 0.315, P = .018), but not with serum calcium or salivary flow rate. Absolute numerical values for concentrations were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
The findings demonstrate an association between subjective dry mouth sensation in postmenopausal women and elevated salivary/serum PTH and salivary calcium, occurring independently of actual stimulated saliva flow rate.
Limits
Small sample size (n = 76) at a single center. The case-control observational design prevents determining causality. The abstract does not report baseline values, absolute concentrations, or control for potential confounders such as systemic metabolic bone conditions, vitamin D levels, or medications.
Cited by
- contradicts Saliva normally has a higher concentration of calcium than blood serum.