Salivary Flow Rates of Nigerian Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Case-control Study

Aims And Objectives: The study determined the relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and changes in salivary flow and the complications of reduced salivary flow among African subjects with CKD compared with the controls.

Materials And Methods: One hundred and eighty patients, 90 C KD and 90 controls were recruited, interviewed and examined. Stimulated and unstimulated saliva collection was done with standardized spitting method. Urinalysis and blood creatinine levels were determined and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of each patient was calculated from the blood creatinine using Cockcroft and Gault formula. Statistical analysis was done using STATA 11 software.

Results: The mean stimulated and unstimulated whole salivary flow rate among CKD subjects were 4.07 ± 1.91 and 2.34 ± 0.99 ml/5 min respectively and is significantly lower than that of the controls which were 8.05 ± 3.95 ml/5 min and 3.82 ± 2.27 ml/5 min for stimulated and unstimulated flow rates. Oral signs of reduced salivary flow were found in 80% of CKD patients. The commonest oral finding was taste abnormalities others are burning sensation, halitosis and difficulty in mastication.

Conclusion: Patients with CKD had reduced stimulated and unstimulated salivary flow rate. Reduced salivary flow was associated with oral lesions in majority (80%) of CKD patients, the commonest finding being taste abnormalities.