Dry Eye Disease Patients with Xerostomia Report Higher Symptomatic Burden

Abstract

 

Purpose

 

To investigate if xerostomia (dry mouth) is associated with symptoms and signs of dry eye disease (DED).

 

Methods

 

All patients with symptomatic DED who contacted the Norwegian Dry Eye Clinic, with or without a doctor’s referral, were consecutively included in the study. The patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmological work-up and completed a self-questionnaire on symptoms of dry eyes (Ocular Surface Disease Index [OSDI]) and the Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) questionnaire (SSQ).

 

Results

 

Four hundred and thirty two patients (53% women and 47% men) with DED of different etiologies were included. Patient demographics were: 0 to 19 years (1%), 20 to 39 (25%), 40 to 59 (34%), 60 to 79 (35%) and 80 to 99 (5%). Xerostomia, defined as “daily symptoms of dry mouth the last three months” (as presented in SSQ) was reported by 23% of the patients. SS was previously diagnosed in 3% of the patients. Xerostomia was more prevalent in females (36%) than in males (9%; P<0.001), and was weakly correlated with age (R2=0.04; P<0.001) and polypharmacy (R2=0.06; P<0.001). Patients with xerostomia had a higher OSDI score (17.9 ±10.3) than those without xerostomia (13.0 ± 8.3; P<0.001). Moreover, xerostomia patients had lower meibum expressibility (P=0.022) and a higher intraocular pressure (IOP) (P=0.046) than those without xerostomia. Comparisons of OSDI, meibum expressibility and IOP between patients with/without xerostomia were made after controlling for the effects of gender, age and polypharmacy.

 

Conclusions

 

Dry eye disease patients with xerostomia report more DED symptoms and have a poorer meibum expressibility compared to those without xerostomia.

 

Keywords: 486 cornea: tears/tear film/dry eye