Zhao Hongsen, Ran Shujun, Huo Wenqian, Gan Kang, Li Wenlu
Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1 Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou City, 450052, China.
National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, China.
Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 16;15(1):13191. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-97048-6.
Patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS) often exhibit abnormal somatosensory function, and xerostomia is a common accompanying symptom. This study aimed to explore whether xerostomia is associated with pain sensitivity in patients with BMS. A total of 82 female patients with BMS were enrolled, including 55 with xerostomia. The pressure pain threshold (PPT) on the tongue was measured via a digital pressure algometer. Pain sensitivity was assessed via the Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire (PSQ). Whole saliva flow rates were measured. The severity of xerostomia was evaluated via the Summated Xerostomia Inventory (SXI). Descriptive statistics were performed, along with chi-square tests, Pearson correlation analyses, and multiple linear regression analyses. There were no significant differences in the PPT or stimulated saliva flow rates between BMS patients with and without xerostomia (112 ± 53 vs. 129 ± 57, p = 0.5837; 1.55 ± 0.73 vs. 1.64 ± 0.62, p = 0.5837, respectively). BMS patients with xerostomia had significantly higher PSQ-minor scores (4.55 ± 1.36 vs. 3.93 ± 1.11, p = 0.0432 < 0.05). PSQ-minor scores were correlated with the duration of xerostomia (β = 0.399, p = 0.003) but not with the severity of xerostomia. Xerostomia had different effects on the two pain sensitivity dimensions in patients with BMS: there was no significant change in the experimentally obtained pain threshold, while the self-assessed suprathreshold pain intensity increased.
灼口综合征（BMS）患者常表现出异常的躯体感觉功能，口干是常见的伴随症状。本研究旨在探讨口干是否与BMS患者的疼痛敏感性相关。共纳入82例女性BMS患者，其中55例伴有口干。通过数字压力痛觉计测量舌部的压力痛阈（PPT）。通过疼痛敏感性问卷（PSQ）评估疼痛敏感性。测量全唾液流速。通过综合口干量表（SXI）评估口干的严重程度。进行描述性统计以及卡方检验、Pearson相关分析和多元线性回归分析。有口干和无口干的BMS患者在PPT或刺激唾液流速方面无显著差异（分别为112±53 vs. 129±57，p = 0.5837；1.55±0.73 vs. 1.64±0.62，p = 0.5837）。有口干的BMS患者PSQ-次要评分显著更高（4.55±1.36 vs. 3.93±1.11，p = 0.0432＜0.05）。PSQ-次要评分与口干持续时间相关（β = 0.399，p = 0.003），但与口干严重程度无关。口干对BMS患者的两种疼痛敏感性维度有不同影响：实验获得的痛阈无显著变化，而自我评估的阈上疼痛强度增加。
