Menopausal symptoms are associated with oral sensory complaints in perimenopausal women: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: Perimenopausal women experience a wide variety of systemic symptoms: hot flashes, sweating, mental health concerns and various oral sensory complaints (OSC). OSC in perimenopausal women include xerostomia, taste disturbance and burning mouth. However, the factors associated with these OSC have not been identified. The purpose of this investigation was to elucidate the factors associated with OSC in perimenopausal women. METHODS: The study cohort comprised 43 perimenopausal women aged 45-55 years. Data on medical history, medications, menstrual status, menopausal symptoms, quality of life, xerostomia, taste disturbance and burning mouth were collected. Volumes of unstimulated and stimulated saliva were measured. Tongue coating was evaluated according to a tongue coating index. Univariate analysis was performed to identify factors significantly associated with having xerostomia, taste disturbance, burning mouth and more than two OSC (2OSC). Next, the factors strongly associated with these symptoms were examined by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The number of menopausal symptoms was significantly higher, and volume of unstimulated saliva was significantly lower in participants with xerostomia, taste disturbance, burning mouth or 2OSC than in those without these characteristics. Agents targeting the central nervous system were more frequently taken by participants with burning mouth and 2OSC than by those without these characteristics. According to logistic regression analysis, the number of menopausal symptoms was an explanatory variable for xerostomia, taste disturbance, burning mouth and 2OSC. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested that OSC associated with the number of menopausal symptoms. Management of menopausal symptoms may decrease OSC, leading to improved quality of life of perimenopausal women.

Exophytic Tumor Growth After Incomplete Removal of Polypoid Malignant Melanoma of the Maxillary Gingiva: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Polypoid malignant melanoma of the oral cavity is extremely rare. This report describes the case of the 3-time occurrence of a polypoid malignant melanoma of the maxillary gingiva in an 84-year-old woman who had removed the primary tumor by herself. The second polypoid malignant melanoma was a black 7-cm pedunculated mass surrounded by pigmented mucosa. Histologically, the tumor exhibited an ulcerated surface lined by squamous cells and contained polygonal cells with brown-and-black pigmentation. The third polypoid malignant melanoma was observed at the same location 7 months after surgery; it was a black hemorrhagic mass approximately 1.5 cm. Histologic analysis showed morphologic findings that were similar to those observed in the second polypoid melanoma. The patient died of lung metastasis 28 months after the second surgery. This report also reviews the 5 previously reported cases of polypoid malignant melanoma of the oral cavity, all of which occurred in the upper jaw. In 2 cases, initial exophytic growth of the tumor before invasion of the submucosa and relatively early detection resulted in a good prognosis. However, in 1 case, amelanotic melanoma located in the periodontal tissues was clinically misdiagnosed as epulis. Therefore, immunostaining for S-100 and HMB-45 should be considered for nonpigmented epulis-like lesions, and wide surgical resection of primary polypoid malignant melanomas at an early stage should result in a favorable prognosis.