Focal sialadenitis in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and spondyloarthropathy: a comparison with patients with rheumatoid arthritis or mixed connective tissue disease.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the occurrence of and risk factors for focal sialadenitis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and spondyloarthropathy (SpA). METHODS: A total of 85 patients (25 with RA, 19 with MCTD, 19 with AS, 22 with SpA) participated in the study. Each patient filled out a questionnaire for eye and oral symptoms and for the use of medication, and was interviewed; other tests included Schirmer's test, laboratory tests, collection of unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva, and minor salivary gland biopsy. A focus score of > or =1 was regarded as an indicator of focal sialadenitis. RESULTS: Focal sialadenitis was observed in 68% (57/84) of all patients. It affected 80% (20/25) of the patients with RA, 94% (17/18) of those with MCTD, 58% (11/19) of those with AS, and 41% (9/22) of those with SpA (chi(2) test, p=0.0013). Salivary secretion correlated negatively with the focus scores-that is, severity of focal sialadenitis. Patients with focal sialadenitis had both decreased salivary secretion and decreased tear secretion significantly more often than did patients without (chi(2) test, p=0.0074 and p=0.048 respectively). Patients with positive rheumatoid factor (RF), antinuclear antibodies (ANA), or SSA or SSB antibodies had sialadenitis significantly more often than did patients with negative antibodies. In the subgroup of patients with AS or SpA, no associations were found between focal sialadenitis and the presence of these antibodies. CONCLUSION: In addition to patients with RA or MCTD, focal sialadenitis also affects a very high proportion of patients with AS or SpA. Focus scores are significantly higher in patients with RA or MCTD than in those with AS or SpA. A significant association exists between focal sialadenitis and RF, ANA, SSA and SSB. However, in the subgroup of patients with AS or SpA, no associations were found between focal sialadenitis and serological markers or clinical symptoms.

Intraosseous salivary tissue: jawbone examples of choristomas, hamartomas, embryonic rests, and inflammatory entrapment: another histogenetic source for intraosseous adenocarcinoma.

PROBLEM: Hundreds of primary salivary neoplasms have been found to be completely enclosed within the marrow spaces of the maxilla and mandible, yet nonneoplastic salivary tissue has never been convincingly identified within marrow, either separately or adjacent to such neoplasms. This situation has forced the acceptance of an inherently awkward odontogenic origin for all intramedullary salivary carcinomas and adenomas. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to microscopically evaluate a large number of maxillofacial marrow samples for the presence of intramedullary salivary tissue. STUDY DESIGN: We microscopically reviewed 5034 maxillofacial bone samples from the Latvala Inflammatory Bone Registry for evidence of heterotopic salivary inclusions within the marrow tissues. Contributing surgeons were contacted for each identified case of intraosseous salivary tissue to assure that all submitted tissue was removed from within the marrow spaces rather than from overlying soft tissue. RESULTS: Thirteen of 5034 marrow samples (0.3%) contained heterotopic acinic hamartomas, salivary choristomas, embryonic salivary rests, or entrapped surface glands. Four additional hamartomas of the condyle are described. We report also the chance finding of incipient odontogenic epithelial neoplasms (n = 6) and odontogenic epithelial rests (n = 84) within the fatty marrow and outside the periodontal ligament spaces, confirming that not all odontogenic neoplasms are necessarily of periodontal ligament origin. CONCLUSION: The frequency rate for salivary choristomas, hamartomas, embryonic rests, and displaced surface glands within alveolar bone is no less than 2.6 of 1000 biopsied marrow samples. This provides an additional and quite logical histogenetic explanation for the presence of intraosseous salivary neoplasms.

The association between smoking cessation and periodontal status and salivary proteinase levels.

BACKGROUND: Little information is available about the effects of the cessation of cigarette smoking on oral health, although cigarette smoking has been shown to be associated with a variety of oral diseases. The aim of this study was to compare periodontal status, salivary proteolytic activity, especially collagenase-2 (MMP-8) levels, and oral mucosal status in individuals who had quit smoking for at least 6 months (mean 3.5, SD 1.3 years) and in regular smokers. METHODS: The subjects were 409 white male smokers aged 55 to 74 years with 15 or more remaining teeth. They had participated in a major cancer prevention study (ATBC Study). Eighty-two of the men had given up smoking and 327 were smokers. The subjects were examined clinically to determine the prevalence of periodontal pockets, gingival bleeding (BOP) and suppuration, and prevalence of keratotic oral mucosal lesions. The loss of alveolar bone was determined radiographically. Candida albicans was cultivated, and lesions showing leukoplakia were examined histopathologically. General proteolytic activity and collagenase-2 or matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) levels in saliva, salivary pH, and buffering capacity were measured. Linear regression, logistic regression, or Fisher's exact test were used in statistical analysis. RESULTS: Salivary general proteolytic activity and MMP-8 levels were lower in current smokers than in ex-smokers (P <0.05 and P <0.05, respectively). The prevalence of > or = 4 mm deep pockets, gingival suppuration, and loss of crestal bone were statistically significantly lower (P = 0.003, P<0.001, and P<0.05, respectively) and salivary buffering capacity higher (P <0.05) in those who had quit smoking compared to current smokers; there was no difference in BOP. The prevalence of oral leukoplakia did not differ significantly between smokers and quitters, but was higher in those who smoked >15 cigarettes per day compared to quitters (odds ratio 3.5, 95% CI, 0.8 to 15.3). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that periodontal status and oral mucosal health are better in those who have quit cigarette smoking compared to current smokers. However, the data further suggest that smoking may significantly lower both general proteolytic enzyme activity and MMP-8 levels in saliva. Thus, care should be taken in interpreting results revealing salivary/mouthrinse proteinases as diagnostic markers for oral/periodontal disease activity.

Immunohistochemical analysis of the oncoprotein c-erbB-2 expression in oral benign and malignant lesions.

Thirty-seven samples of oral mucosa were analysed and divided histologically into groups of normal mucosa (6), hyperplastic lesions (6), dysplastic lesions (14), and squamous cell carcinoma (11). All lesions displayed some expression of c-erbB-2 but the distribution and intensity of expression varied strongly according to the differentiation. The lower the epithelial differentiation of the sample, the higher the expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein showing very strong staining in carcinoma samples. This suggests that in oral carcinoma, transformation might be related to c-erbB-2 interaction.

Beta-carotene concentration in buccal mucosal cells with and without dysplastic oral leukoplakia after long-term beta-carotene supplementation in male smokers.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the beta-carotene concentration in buccal mucosal cells in smoking men who had received long-term beta-carotene (BC) supplementation in a controlled trial. To assess the association of cellular BC on the prevalence of dysplasia in oral leukoplakia. DESIGN: An end-of-trial examination of a part of subjects in the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta Carotene Cancer Prevention Study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 343 men who for 5-7 years had received BC (20 mg/d) or alpha-tocopherol (AT) (50 mg/d), or both of these or placebo. BC concentration of buccal mucosal cells was compared in the subjects with BC supplementation (n = 173) to that of those without it (n = 170). Oral mucosae were examined clinically and lesions showing leukoplakia histopathologically. RESULTS: Mean (s.d.) BC concentration in buccal mucosal cells was 7.7 (10.3)mg/kg protein in the subjects who received BC compared to 1.1 (1.7) mg/kg protein in those who did not. The BC concentration in the cells of supplemented subjects correlated with their serum BC levels (P < 0.001). AT supplementation had no effect on BC concentration nor was daily amount of smoking statistically significantly associated with the BC concentration in buccal cells. Altogether 17 subjects showed oral leukoplakia, 7 had dysplasia. In these 7 subjects, the BC concentration in buccal mucosal cells did not differ statistically significantly compared to subjects with only hyperkeratosis (n = 10) (F-test, P = 0.74). CONCLUSIONS: After long-term BC supplementation, BC concentration in oral mucosal cells was 7-fold greater than without supplementation. There was no evidence to support an association between cellular BC concentration and precancerous lesions among the few subjects having them in their oral mucosae.

Signs and symptoms in the masticatory system in ten patients with mixed connective tissue disease.

Ten patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) were examined for signs and symptoms in the masticatory system. The study included clinical, radiological, histological and immunohistochemical examinations. The status of the teeth and periodontium did not seem to differ from that found in the general Finnish population. All 10 patients showed clinical dysfunction, and 7 had additional radiographic changes of the temporomandibular joints. Sialopenia was observed in 7 patients, and histological examination revealed sialoadenitis with a focus score exceeding 1 in the labial salivary glands in 9 patients. Only 1 patient had clinically detectable mucosal lesions. However, in 5 of 6 patients with normal-appearing mucosa, histological examination revealed chronic inflammation. Three of the 10 patients had clinically atrophic and erythematous oral mucosa; histological examination again revealed chronic inflammation. The signs and symptoms appearing in the masticatory system of these 10 MCTD patients were many and varied and indicate the importance of closely examining all oral structures. As with other connective tissue diseases, MCTD should be treated on a multidisciplinary basis.

Xerostomia due to Sjögren's syndrome. Diagnostic criteria, treatment and outlines for a continuous dental care programme and an open trial with Sulfarlem.

The initial evaluation of 25 patients suspected of suffering from Sjögren's syndrome (SS) disclosed that sialopenia and glandular atrophy without focal sialo-adenitis was the second most common cause, after SS itself, of patient complaints. This emphasizes the importance of conclusive diagnostic criteria to prevent overdiagnosis and to form a sound basis for management of xerostomia patients. We found that at the time of diagnostic evaluation, the dental status of our SS patients did not differ from that of the normal Finnish population. This suggests that SS patients can greatly benefit from adequate dental care, assuming that attention is paid to early diagnosis and management. Accordingly, the diagnostic and therapeutic approach needs to be multidisciplinary. We present our current programme for oral and dental care of xerostomia patients and the results of an open trial with Sulfarlem (trithioparamethoxyphenylpropene) which was found not to be the drug of choice in the treatment of dry mouth associated with SS.