Oral mucosa and salivary findings in non-diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease.

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and dialysis treatment could affect oral mucosa and cause qualitative or quantitative changes of saliva.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate oral manifestations, unstimulated salivary flow rate (USFR), salivary pH value and biochemical composition of saliva in non-diabetic patients with CKD.

Design: The study group (PD) consisted of 50 pre-dialysis patients diagnosed with CKD, positive control group (HD) of 25 haemodialysis patients and negative control (H) of 25 age and gender-matched healthy persons. Creatinine clearance rate (CrCl) was calculated from the blood creatinine using the Cockcroft-Gault formula. After a detailed intraoral examination, whole unstimulated saliva samples were collected to determine salivary pH value, and biochemical composition using a spectrophotometric method.

Results: Statistical analysis revealed that PD subjects had more oral lesions (p < 0.05) and symptoms (p < 0.001) than controls. The mean CrCl was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in CKD subjects with pale mucosa, xerostomia, dysgeusia, and uremic odour, comparing to those without listed symptoms. PD subjects had significantly decreased USFR and increased pH, urea and creatinine than H controls (p < 0.05). A moderately strong positive correlation between serum and salivary creatinine in both PD (p < 0.05) and HD (p < 0.05) groups was found.

Conclusion: This study confirmed that xerostomia and dysgeusia are major symptoms among pre-dialysis patients. Their presence along with uremic odour and pale mucosa is directly related to decreased kidney function. On the diagnostic point, decreased USFR, especially hyposalivation and increased salivary creatinine, should be considered a significant indicator of CKD in stages before dialysis therapy.