Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) / Introduction: Xerostomia and reduced salivary flow have been reported often enough among HIV positive patients. Strong associations have also been established between HIV infection and oral effects of reduced salivary flow like xerostomia, high DMFT, increased candidial infection etc. Besides the direct effect of HIV infection, xerostomia and reduced salivary flow have also been reported as a side effect of Highly Active Anti Retroviral reatment (HAART). Studies have shown that xerostomia has a negative effect on the quality of life of people living with HIV & AIDS. Although reduced salivary flow is a main cause for xerostomia, complaints of xerostomia is also found in the absence of salivary flow deficiency. An exact correlation between the two is not always found.Aim: The aim of this study is to compare the prevalence of xerostomia and hyposalivation, in HIV positive patients on HAART, HIV positive patients not on HAART and HIV negative patients, attending Empilweni Gompo community health centre (EGCHC) in East London. Study Methods: This is a cross sectional analytical study. Xerostomia and resting & chewing- stimulated salivary flow rates were measured for 150 patients who were from three groups : group 1-HIV negative, group 2-HIV positive not on HAART and group 3-HIV positive on HAART for more than two years. Each group had 50 patients. Xerostomia was measured using a questionnaire and salivary flow rates were calculated after saliva collection over a three minute period. Results: There was significant difference in the prevalences for xerostomia (p=0.006) and less than normal chewing -stimulated flow rate (p=0.041) among the three groups with the HIV positive group not on HAART showing the greatest deficiency. HAART was not found to have a negative effect on salivary function. A statistical significance was also observed while comparing mean resting (p=0.010) and chewing –stimulated (p=0.034) salivary flow rates among the three groups. The mean salivary flow rate of those complaining of xerostomia was found to be significantly lower than that of those who did not have xerostomia (p=0.005). Conclusion: HIV positive patients not on HAART are more vulnerable to salivary gland dysfunction. HAART in itself does not to adversely affect xerostomic perceptions or salivary flow rates.The xerostomia questionnaire is a useful tool in indicating those with possible low salivary flow rates

O tratamento com o iodo-131, conhecido como iodoterapia, já é bem estabelecido para tumores de tireoide diferenciados, porém, pode ter como importante efeito colateral o desenvolvimento da hipofunção das glândulas salivares. Dados recentes da literatura relatam casos de sialoadenite e xerostomia em pacientes submetidos à iodoterapia, no entanto, poucos estudos analisam o seu efeito na função e morfologia do tecido glandular, o que dificulta o aparecimento de métodos preventivos e curativos para essas complicações. Com isso e baseado em estudos que indicam resultados promissores da terapia fotobiomoduladora, com laser de baixa potência, no tratamento da hipofunção das glândulas salivares; este trabalho teve como objetivo compreender o efeito da iodoterapia sobre as glândulas salivares e analisar se a terapia de fotobiomodulação é capaz de evitar o dano ao tecido. Para isto, foi estabelecido o protocolo de indução da hipofunção das glândulas salivares através da iodoterapia em 70 camundongos BALB/c; os quais foram divididos em três grupos: C, controle (n=30); I, submetidos à iodoterapia (n=20); e IL, submetidos à iodoterapia e terapia fotobiomoduladora para a hipofunção das glândulas salivares (n=20), com um comprimento de onda de 808 nm, espectro infravermelho, potência de 100 mW, energia de 1 J e 10 s por ponto, totalizando uma densidade de energia de 35,7J/cm². Os animais foram avaliados em três tempos experimentais; T1: antes da iodoterapia, T2: 10 dias após a iodoterapia, e T3: 90 dias após a iodoterapia. Logo após a eutanásia, houve a remoção das glândulas salivares parótidas e submandibulares, para análises morfológicas e imuno-histoquímicas, para a determinação quantitativa de células apoptóticas e expressão dos canais de sódio e iodo, cujos resultados mostraram que a iodoterapia com o iodo-131 promoveu, nas glândulas salivares parótida e submandibular, a inibição dos canais de sódio e iodo, aumento de células apoptóticas e alteração do estroma glandular, com diminuição na concentração de colágeno e atrofia das unidades secretoras terminais. Além disso, também foi observado que a TFBM com laser de baixa potência foi eficaz na modulação dos efeitos inflamatórios causados pelo iodo-131, aumentando a produção de colágeno no tecido glandular, modulando a inflamação nas unidades secretoras terminais, reativando expressão do NIS e controlando a apoptose celular. Com os resultados obtidos no presente estudo, concluímos que que a iodoterapia causa hipofunção das glândulas salivares parótidas e submandibulares e que a terapia de fotobiomodulação se mostrou uma terapia eficaz e promissora para prevenir e atenuar estes efeitos colaterais. / Radioiodine treatment (RI), is a usual treatment for thyroid tumours, which may have the salivary gland hypofunction (SGH) as an important side effect. Sialoadenitis and xerostomia were reported in patients submitted to RI, however, only a few studies have analyzed its effect on function and morphology of glandular tissue, which makes it difficult to discover preventive and curative methods for these complications. Based on this and on the positive effects of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) in the treatment of HGS, the aim of the present study was to understand the effect of RI on salivary glands and to examine whether the PBMT is capable of preventing tissue damage. Thus, the protocol of induction of SGH by RI was performed in 70 BALB / c mice; which were divided into three groups: C, control (n = 30); I, submitted to RI (n = 20); and IL, submitted to RI and PBMT (n = 20). The animals were analysed in three different experimental times; T1: before RI, T2: 10 days after RI, and T3: 90 days after RI. Shortly after euthanasia, the parotid and submandibular salivary glands, were surgically removed for morphological and immunohistochemical analyzes, for the quantitative determination of apoptotic cells and expression of the sodium and iodine channels. The data showed an inhibition of sodium and iodine channels, increase of apoptotic cells and alteration of the glandular stroma, with destruction of collagen and atrophy of the secretory units in salivary glands, after RI. It was also observed that the PBMT seems to have been effective in modulating the effects of this inflammatory condition, increasing collagen production in the glandular tissue, modulating inflammation in the terminal secretory units, reactivating NIS expression and controlling cellular apoptosis. In conclusion, the RI caused hypofunction of the parotid and submandibular salivary glands and the PBMT was able to prevent and attenuate this side effect.