Sialendoscopy of the major salivary glands could alleviate the oral symptoms of Sjögren syndrome (SS) and restore salivary function. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the effect of sialendoscopy of the major salivary glands on salivary flow, saliva composition, and mouthfeel in patients with SS and to collect data for sample size analysis for a larger clinical trial.
Twenty patients diagnosed with SS were randomly assigned to a nonintervention control group or a sialendoscopy group. Unstimulated whole saliva flow, stimulated whole saliva flow, Clinical Oral Dryness Score, Xerostomia Inventory score, and EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index score were obtained 1 week before (T0), 1 week after (T2), and 8 weeks after (T3) sialendoscopy. Unstimulated whole saliva was analyzed for amylase concentration, activity, and mucin 5B concentration. Amylase and mucin 5B output were calculated.
In the sialendoscopy group, unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva flows were numerically higher at T2 and T3 compared with T0. Xerostomia Inventory score was significantly lower in the sialendoscopy group at T2 compared with T0 (P = .03). Unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva flows were higher in the sialendoscopy group compared with the control group at T2 and T3 (not meaningful). Significant differences were found between groups for the EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index score at T2 (P = .03) and T3 (P = .001). Xerostomia Inventory score and Clinical Oral Dryness Score in the sialendoscopy group were lower compared with the control group at T2 (P = .02) and at T3 (P = .04), indicating less oral dryness.
This pilot study indicates a positive effect of sialendoscopy on some parameters, but it cannot yet be concluded that it has a positive effect on salivary flow in patients with SS. These preliminary results need to be verified in a randomized controlled trial with a larger sample and longer follow-up period.