Salivary interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha in patients with drug-induced xerostomia

It is well known that cytokines are involved in the homeostasis of oral cavity and that altered levels of either serum and/or salivary cytokines have been found in certain oral/systemic diseases. So far, cytokines in connection with xerostomia have been investigated in patients with Sjögren's syndrome. We wanted to find out whether drugs themselves influence salivary glands, which would result in altered cytokine level or whether xerostomia itself of different causes leads to the changes in salivary cytokine levels. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate levels of salivary interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α in 30 patients with drug‐induced xerostomia, age range 29–84 and mean 63.9 years. Control group consisted of 30 healthy participants, age range 30–82 years and mean age 65.2 years. Enzyme‐linked immunoassay was performed on commercially available kits. Statistical analysis was performed by use of Student's test. No significant differences in salivary IL‐6 and TNF‐α between patients with drug‐induced xerostomia when compared with the healthy controls were found (P < 0.05). We might conclude that drugs do not induce damage to the salivary glands which could be seen in altered salivary IL‐6 and TNF‐α levels and that xerostomia itself, induced by drugs does not alter levels of the investigated salivary cytokines.