List of Articles by Author

1. Hladki A, Alajbeg I[, Cekić-Arambašin A, Alajbeg IŽ. Pilocarpine-Hydrocloride Has a Short-Time Effect on Reducing Xerostomia. Acta Stomatol Croat. 2003;37(3):329-31.
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   Title in English:	Pilocarpine-Hydrocloride Has a Short-Time Effect on Reducing Xerostomia
   Title in Croatian:	Pilokarpin-hidroklorid ima kratkotrajan učinak u liječenju kserostomije
   Type of Article:	congress abstract
   MeSH:	XEROSTOMIA + therapy PILOCARPINE + therapeutic use
   Abstract:	Xerostomia, i.e. oral dryness, is mainly caused by side effects of medications, immunologic diseases, e.g. Sy. Sjoegren, and radiation treatment for oral and neck cancer. There are variable, although far from satisfactory, treatment options, including that of muscarinic receptor agonist pilocarpine-hydrochloride. Pilocarpine treatment of salivary hypofunction is not yet an established method in croatia.The aim of this preliminary study was to assess the autcome of oral administration of pilocarpin on minor salivary glands and whole saliva production, as well as to monitor possible side effects and patients subjective responses to treatment.Is was a single blind-placebo controlled trial. Ten patients suffering from xerostomia underwent this trial. Patients with cardiac or pulmonary diseases were excludet, as well as those that did not show any increase in salivary flow rate after administration of ascorbic acid solution (chemical stimulant) at inclusion testing one week prior to the experiment. The experiment comprised 7 repeated measurements in time intervals of 15-30 min., from the baseline up to 2 h after single oral administration of 5 mg of pilocarpine hydrochloride ( 5 drops of slution, Pilokarpin 2%, pliva, Croatia). The flow rate of minor salivary glands was measured on the lower lip and palate by means of Periotron (Oraflow Inc., Plainview, USA) and whole saliva was collected in calibrated test tubes . A simple questionnaire was filled in to record patients subjective perception of treatment. The same procedure was repeated one week later, when dexpanthenol drops (DPanthenol, Ljekarne Zagreb, Croatia) were used as placebo instead of pilocarpine.Pilocarpine increased salivary output and gave symptomatic relief in every patient. The differences in salivary output were significant both compared to baseline and to placebo controls (p = 0,01). There were no side effects during the trial, either after administration of pilocarpine; or placebo. After increasing salivary flow rate the action of pilocarpine decrease in time, which was recordable during the observation session.Respecting possible contraindications and side effects, according to our finding pilocarpine should be regulary used in treatment of xerostomia.

2. Alajbeg I[, Hladki N, Cekić-Arambašin A, Alajbeg IŽ. Periotron as a Modern Sialometric Method in Xerostomia Diagnosis and Treatment Monitoring. Acta Stomatol Croat. 2003;37(3):296-7.
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   Title in English:	Periotron as a Modern Sialometric Method in Xerostomia Diagnosis and Treatment Monitoring
   Title in Croatian:	Periotron: Suvremena sijalografijska metoda u dijagnostici i u nadzoru liječenja kserosromije
   Type of Article:	congress abstract
   MeSH:	XEROSTOMIA + diagnosis
   Abstract:	The Periotron micro-moisture meter (Oraflow, Plainview, USA) is an electronic instrument that has been designed for gingival vrevicular fluid (GCF), periodontal pocket fluid (PPF), salivary flow and saliva thickness measurments, by using a variety of paper collection strips. Collection strips (Periopaper strips, PerioCol strips, Sialopaper strips) are applied to the oral tissues of interest for a certain period of time, after which the are inserted between Periotron electrodes. The special insulation coating on the electrodes enables them to work as two plates of a capacitor, being able to measure submicroliter quantities of oral fluids. Periotron displays the numerical output on LCD. By inputting data obtained during prior calibration process into Periotron professional software for Windows, we design a standard curve, from which we interpolate actual fluid volume. We have designed a single blind placebo controlled study to evaluate possible presence of long-term effect of pilocarpine-hydrocloride (PHC) on salivary flow rate in patients with xerostomia. 12 patients suffering from xerostomia underwent this trial. We used strict inclusion criteria regarding the possible side effects. Six patients were instructed to self-administer 5 mh of PHC (5 drops of solution, Pilokarpin 2%, pliva Zagreb, Croatia), three times a day, for 7 days. Another 6 patients (placebo group) were instructed to take 5 dexapanthenol drops (D panthenol, Ljekarne Zagreb, Zagreb, croatia), 3 times a day for 7 weeks. The flow rate of minor salivary glands was measured on the lower lip and palate by means of Periotron and whole saliva was collected in calibrated test tubes. mesurements were repeated once a week. Each patient filled in an extensive Oral Health Impact Profile questionnaire (OHIP) at te baseline and after completion of PHC treatment to monitor oral health influence on patients lives. After 7 weeks of treatment the placebo group was swiched to PHC, but there no apparent need for switching pilocarpine group to placebo, because we found no improvement in salivary flow rate after 7 weeks of treatment. in the group previously taking placebo, there was also no improvement in salivary flow rate after taking PHC. OHIP findings were calculated and showed no statistically significnt improvement after 7 weeks of PHC administration. One patient from the pilocarpine group and one from palcebo group ( while taking placebo) reported side effects and discontinuited the trial. oral administration of PHC does not seem to produce log-term salivary flow rate increase, but rther immediate and shortr lasting improvement. Judging by Periotron and whole saliva scores, our results showed that PHC is not able to “cure” xerostomia after prolonged administration, i.e. there is no residual effect in salivary gland simulation once the drug is discontinued and eliminated.