Treatment of xerostomia in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome with sulfarlem.

Stimulated by a recent report on the favorable effect of Anetholtritione (Sulfarlem S 25) on symptoms and salivary flow rate in patients with Sjögren's Syndrome (SS), we examined the effect of Sulfarlem in an open study on 16 patients characterized by severe xerostomia. Fourteen had primary SS and two xerostomia only. The patients were examined by whole resting saliva secretion rate measurement (SR) once a week during the study period of 7 weeks. At the same time the patients assessed their symptoms of xerostomia on a 1-10 visual analogue scale. Following the third examination (2 weeks), Sulfarlem was given p.o. 25 mg X 3 daily for 3 weeks, after which the patients were examined for another 2 weeks. The average SR before treatment was 0.07 ml/15 min. Two patients had increased secretion rates, but only one of these described improvement in symptoms. Two had improvement in symptoms and 12 had no positive subjective or objective effect from treatment. Side effects were abdominal discomfort and flatulence, seen in 7 patients (44%). One of these patients in addition had diarrhea and nausea. The side effects were persistent during treatment only. The medication was terminated following one week of treatment in two patients. It is concluded that Sulfarlem in a daily dose of 75 mg have no marked effect on salivation in patients with primary SS and severe xerostomia. Gastrointestinal side effects may occur.