Objectives: To examine the safety and efficacy of anhydrous crystalline maltose (ACM) for treatment of dry mouth.
Design: ACM was delivered orally as a 200-mg lozenge given three times daily over a 12-week (study Alpha) or 24-week (study Omega) period to a total of 22 and 97 subjects, respectively. All participants had prominent complaints of persistent dry mouth associated with primary Sjögren's syndrome. Patients were examined every 4 weeks in study Alpha and every 6 weeks in study Omega.
Settings: Patients were seen in outpatient clinics at a total of 33 sites within the United States.
Outcome measures: Unstimulated whole saliva output, a measure of basal salivary gland function, was determined at each visit. Symptoms associated with oral and ocular dryness were assessed at the same time with the use of 100-mm visual analog scales. Safety was assessed by physical examination and laboratory studies.
Results: During these clinical trials, a majority of subjects demonstrated an increase in unstimulated whole saliva output and the treatment exhibited an excellent safety profile. The ACM treatment in study Omega led to significant improvement in several subjective measures of oral and ocular comfort.
Conclusions: In these two studies, ACM lozenges administered three times daily for 12 or 24 weeks improved salivary output and decreased complaints of dry mouth and eyes. Side effects were minimal, and treatment was without significant adverse events. This safe and simple intervention may provide clinical benefit to individuals with distressing dry mouth symptoms.