Salivary gland function in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients by 99mTc-pertechnetate scintigraphy.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the alterations in salivary gland function in patients who receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) for chronic renal failure (CRF) using technetium-99m pertechnetate ((99m)Tc-P) salivary gland scintigraphy. The study population consisted of 36 CAPD patients (16 males and 20 females, ranging in age from 19 to 73 years, mean age 44.94+/-15.01 years) and 20 healthy controls (11 males and 9 females, ranging in age from 31 to 51 years, mean age 41.25+/-5.62 years). All patients and healthy controls underwent salivary gland scintigraphy. After the intravenous administration of 185MBq of (99m)Tc-P, dynamic salivary gland scintigraphy was performed for 25min. On the basis of the time-activity curves, the following glandular function parameters were calculated for the parotid and submandibular salivary glands: uptake ratio, maximum accumulation, and ejection fraction. Our results showed: All functional parameters obtained for CAPD patients were significantly lower than for healthy controls (P<0.05). In conclusion, this study demonstrated that salivary gland function, an important determinant of oral health, is impaired among the CRF patients treated with CAPD compared with healthy controls, as evaluated by (99m)Tc-P salivary gland scintigraphy.

Evaluation by (99m)Tc-pertechnetate scintigraphy of the effect of levocetirizine on salivary glands function, in allergic rhinitis patients.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of levocetirizine (xyzal) on salivary glands function in patients with allergic rhinitis using technetium-99m pertechnetate ((99m)Tc-P) salivary gland scintigraphy. The study population consisted of 67 patients with allergic rhinitis and 31 healthy controls (14 males and 17 females, mean age 30.1+/-6.8 years). The patients were divided into two groups: an untreated patient Group of 32 patients, 17 males and 15 females, mean age 29.9+/-6.5 years and a levocetirizine-treated with 5mg.day(-1) for 4 weeks patient Group, consisted of 35 patients, 16 males and 19 females, mean age 33.5+/-7.8 years. All patients and healthy controls underwent salivary glands scintigraphy. After the intravenous administration of 185 MBq of (99m)Tc-P, dynamic salivary glands scintigraphy was performed for 25 min. By the time-activity curves, the following glandular function parameters were calculated for the parotid and submandibular salivary glands: uptake ratio, maximum accumulation, and ejection fraction. Our results showed: All functional parameters obtained for the untreated patient Group were significantly lower than for the levocetirizine-treated patient Group and healthy controls (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in any functional parameters between the levocetirizine-treated patient Group and healthy controls (P>0.05). In conclusion, results of our study indicate that patients with allergic rhinitis treated with levocetirizine showed a significantly higher salivary glands function compared with untreated patients and healthy controls. Levocetirizine treatment showed no side effects on salivary glands function.