Abstract
Aim
The aim of this study was to compare the ultrasonographic characteristics and clinical findings of the major salivary glands between patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and healthy controls.Materials & methods
The study included 23 CKD patients undergoing dialysis and 20 healthy controls. The size and parenchymal homogeneity of the parotid and submandibular glands were evaluated using ultrasonography. Clinical assessments included the measurement of resting salivary flow rate, evaluation of xerostomia symptoms via the Xerostomia Inventory (XI), and determination of oral hygiene status using the DMFT index. Statistical analyses were conducted via Fisher's exact test, the independent samples t-test, the Mann Whitney U test, or the Kruskal-Wallis test.Results
The mean age of the CKD patients was 58 years, whereas that of the controls was 54 years. Approximate two-dimensional cross-sectional areas (ATCAs) of the parotid and submandibular glands were significantly greater in CKD patients (p Conclusion
This study suggests that dimensional and structural changes may occur in the major salivary glands of CKD patients on dialysis. Significant differences in ATCAs of salivary glands and heterogeneity versus controls, independent of age, suggest that CKD may be associated with alterations in gland morphology. Although no significant differences were found in salivary flow rate or DMFT scores between groups, increased XI scores were observed in patients with CKD, suggesting a possible association between CKD and impaired oral health-related symptoms.