| Summary: | Head and neck radiotherapy may cause xerostomia. Xerostomia may be
caused by acinar cells of salivary glands damaged, leads to decrease of saliva
quality and quantity. The severity of xerostomia is observed using objective and
subjective examinations. Objective examination assessed by unstimulated salivary
flow rate measurement. Subjective examination assessed using xerostomia
questionnaires. There are two questionnaires used in assessment of xerostomia
after head and neck cancer radiotherapy namely Xerostomia Questionnaire (XQ)
and Groningen Radiotherapy-Induced Xerostomia Questionnaire (GRIX). The
objective of this study is to know the correlation between unstimulated salivary
flow rate and severity of xerostomia assessment using these questionnaires.
This study used cross sectional observational method. There were 30 head
and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy at Radiology Installation of
RSUP Dr. Sardjito Yogyakarta in Januari-April 2013 involved in this study. The
assessment of xerostomia used xerostomia questionnaires (XQ and GRIX).
Unstimulated salivary flow rate was measured for 15 minutes then the result
converted into ml/minutes. Data was analyzed using Spearman Rank Correlation.
Result of this study was there is a negative significant correlation between
unstimulated salivary flow rate and severity of xerostomia assessment using XQ
and GRIX with correlation coeficient of -0,452 (p<0,05) and -0,511 (p<0,05). It
can be concluded that there is a correlation between unstimulated salivary flow
rate and severity of xerostomia assessment using XQ and GRIX for head and neck
cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy at RSUP Dr. Sardjito Yogyakarta. The
lower the unstimulated salivary flow rate, the more severe xerostomia complained
by patients.
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