Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41527222›Full record

ArticleOral diseases2026

Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Salivary Gland Stiffness in Primary Sjögren's Disease and Idiopathic Xerostomia.

Jianxin Yin, Yifeng Qian, Weiqian Zhang, Xuemin Shen, Ping Xiong, Junlu Ma, Lei Wang, Sven Eric Niklander, Yiwen Deng

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Article in Oral diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Jianxin YinDepartment of Ultrasound, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Yifeng QianDepartment of Oral and Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Weiqian ZhangDepartment of Ultrasound, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Xuemin ShenDepartment of Oral Medicine, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; National Center for Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology; Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9119-495X
Ping XiongDepartment of Ultrasound, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Junlu MaNingbo Liwah Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Ningbo, China.
Lei WangInstitute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8005-277X
Sven Eric NiklanderUnit of Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad Andres Bello, Viña del Mar, Chile.
Yiwen DengDepartment of Oral Medicine, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; National Center for Stomatology; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology; Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6618-9155

Funding

Horizontal Project of the Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine 2-2023-02National Natural Science Foundation of China 82205200Science and Technology Innovation 2025 Major Project of Ningbo Municipality 2023Z205
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUltrasonography is widely used to evaluate salivary gland involvement in primary Sjögren's disease (SjD). However, distinguishing SjD-related dry mouth from idiopathic xerostomia (IX) remains challenging. This study evaluates whether elastography, an advanced ultrasonographic technique measuring gland stiffness, can improve differentiation.

methodsIn this retrospective study, 192 patients diagnosed with SjD (n = 83) or IX (n = 109) were assessed for xerostomia severity and underwent conventional, Doppler ultrasonography, and shear wave elastography (SWE) of salivary glands. Additional SjD-related indicators, including serological and pathological markers, were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression identified key differentiators, and generalized additive model (GAM) examined nonlinear associations.

resultsSjD patients showed significantly higher parotid gland stiffness (23.9 ± 10.9 kPa) compared to IX patients (15.1 ± 6.7 kPa, p < 0.0001). Additionally, submandibular gland homogeneity and parotid stiffness were independent predictors of SjD. Multivariate analysis revealed parotid stiffness as the strongest factor associated with SjD (OR = 1.152 per kPa increase, 95% CI: 1.080-1.241). GAM analysis revealed a nonlinear exposure-response pattern, with the modeled proportion of SjD reaching approximately 50% at a parotid stiffness of 17.7 kPa.

conclusionParotid gland stiffness shows promise as a clinical tool for distinguishing SjD from IX.

Indexed as

Salivary GlandsSjogren's SyndromeXerostomiaAdultAgedDiagnosis, DifferentialElasticity Imaging TechniquesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective Studiesidiopathic xerostomialogistic regressionparotid gland stiffnessSjögren's diseaseultrasonography

Identifiers

PMID41527222
PMCPMC13457574

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.