Salivary flow-rate and composition in schizophrenic patients on clozapine: Subjective reports and laboratory data

• Published in: Biological psychiatry (1969) Vol. 39; no. 11; pp. 946 - 949
• Main Authors: Ben-Aryeh, H., Jungerman, T., Szargel, R., Klein, E., Laufer, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-06-1996; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; Antipsychotic Agents - adverse effects; Antipsychotic Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; clozapine; Clozapine - adverse effects; Clozapine - therapeutic use; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Female; flow-rate and composition; Humans; hypersalivation; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Potassium - metabolism; Saliva; Saliva - metabolism; Schizophrenia - complications; Schizophrenia - drug therapy; Schizophrenia - metabolism; schizophrenic patients; Sialorrhea - chemically induced; Sialorrhea - metabolism; Sodium - metabolism; Taste - drug effects; Taste - physiology; Toxicity: respiratory system, ent, stomatology; clozapine; flow-rate and composition; hypersalivation; schizophrenic patients; Saliva; Human; Neuroleptic; Psychotropic; Toxicity; Somatic complaint; Schizophrenia; Exploration; Hypersecretion; Subjective evaluation; Psychosis; Salivary gland disease; ENT disease
• ISSN: 0006-3223; 1873-2402
• DOI: 10.1016/0006-3223(95)00296-0

The extent of hypersalivation was evaluated in a group of 25 schizophrenic patients on clopazine. A high prevalence of the complaint was detected by a questionnaire; up to 80% of the patients complained of hypersalivation at night. Salivary flow-rate and composition was examined in 17 patients who agreed to participate and in a matched group of healthy controls. No significant differences were detected in composition or flow-rates of resting and stimulated saliva. The salivary flow-rates in the schizophrenic patients on clopazine did not correlate with the subjective complaint of hypersalivation. Because the severity and prevalence of the complaint was higher at night, a possibility of an altered circadian rhythm of salivation might be suggested in these patients.