OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the prevalence of Candida carriage and the relationships between salivary flow rates and oral Candida load in patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS). METHODS: The oral Candida load of patients with SS was evaluated by culturing oral rinse (swish and spit) samples. Culture, Gram stain, and wet-mount test results were reported. RESULTS: One hundred three patients (96 women) met European criteria for SS (91 with primary SS and 12 with secondary SS). The mean age (95% confidence interval) was 55 years (range, 51-57 years). Oral rinse cultures were positive in 77% of subjects. The total stimulated salivary flow rate was inversely correlated with oral Candida load (r = -0.47; P </=.0001). The oral rinse samples yielded gram-positive results in 38% of patients with SS, and the Fungi-Fluor assay (wet mount) results were positive in 49%. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of Candida carriage varies according to the methods used to determine the presence of the organism and is similar to that reported in the literature. A low stimulated salivary flow rate-not a low unstimulated flow rate-was associated with Candida carriage.
OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the prevalence of Candida carriage and the relationships between salivary flow rates and oral Candida load in patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS). METHODS: The oral Candida load of patients with SS was evaluated by culturing oral rinse (swish and spit) samples. Culture, Gram stain, and wet-mount test results were reported. RESULTS: One hundred three patients (96 women) met European criteria for SS (91 with primary SS and 12 with secondary SS). The mean age (95% confidence interval) was 55 years (range, 51-57 years). Oral rinse cultures were positive in 77% of subjects. The total stimulated salivary flow rate was inversely correlated with oral Candida load (r = -0.47; P </=.0001). The oral rinse samples yielded gram-positive results in 38% of patients with SS, and the Fungi-Fluor assay (wet mount) results were positive in 49%. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of Candida carriage varies according to the methods used to determine the presence of the organism and is similar to that reported in the literature. A low stimulated salivary flow rate-not a low unstimulated flow rate-was associated with Candida carriage.
Authors: Srihari Narayanan; Rachel L Redfern; William L Miller; Kelly K Nichols; Alison M McDermott Journal: Ocul Surf Date: 2013-01-29 Impact factor: 5.033