ArticleBMC palliative care2025
Xerostomia: a silent burden for people receiving palliative care - a qualitative descriptive study.
Article in BMC palliative care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Dry mouth in palliative care: A systematic review of clinical practice guidelines around the world.Palliative medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Associations between oral health-related and overall quality of life in patients receiving oncological palliative care: a single-center cross-sectional study in Southern Chile.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Assessment of Dry Mouth in a Palliative Population: A Comparison Between Patient-Reported Symptoms and Clinical Oral Dryness Scale Measurements.The American journal of hospice & palliative care · 2026Article
- Developmental Differences in Circular RNA Expression Between Adult and Fetal Human Salivary Glands Based on Public Total RNA-Sequencing Data.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
- Radiation-induced oral side effects in head and neck cancer: a scoping review and interdisciplinary recommendations.BMC oral health · 2026Article
- Association between swallowing function, activities of daily living, and eating posture in patients with terminal cancer.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Observational
- Prevalence, predictors and severity of xerostomia in adult patients in general dental care.Frontiers in oral health · 2026Article
- Management of Anorexia-Cachexia Syndrome in a Community Palliative Care Support Team.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Drug-induced xerostomia and hyposalivation in patients with overactive bladder: a prospective open-label observational study comparing antimuscarinics and β3-adrenoceptor agonists.Scientific reports · 2025Observational
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe prevalence of dry mouth in the palliative care population is well documented and increases due to polypharmacy, radiotherapy and systemic conditions. Saliva as a lubricant for the mouth and throat has implications for swallowing, chewing, and speech. The literature about the experience of xerostomia (perceived feeling of dry mouth) in palliative care is scarce. Clinical evidence suggests that xerostomia has a negative impact on people's comfort, however, no recent studies explored this impact in detail. This new knowledge is paramount to adhere to the principles of palliative care.
aimsTo evaluate the impact of xerostomia on the lives of people receiving palliative care with particular reference to eating and speaking.
designA qualitative descriptive study (interview design). Thematic analysis was used for data analysis.
settingA single specialist palliative care centre in Ireland.
resultsThe majority of participants (35/40) had cancer. Xerostomia was reported to have multiple physical, psychological, and daily life consequences. Participants provided insights into the impact of xerostomia on sleeping, eating, talking, denture wearing, and they described in detail their intra-oral sensations associated with xerostomia. The negative effect of xerostomia on speech was reported as the most significant to participants.
conclusionXerostomia has a profound impact on the daily lives of people receiving palliative care, including physical and psychological consequences. Speaking is often affected, which can impede the person's ability to communicate. There needs to be increased awareness of the impact of xerostomia and more research is required to understand how best to manage xerostomia in a palliative care setting.
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