Abstract
Thirty-five hemodialysis patients with xerostomia were treated with S-carboxymethylcysteine (SCMC). We administered 750-1, 000mg/day of SCMC for 1 month and the concentrations of salivary components (Na, K, Cl, Ca, BUN, Cr, amylase and pH) were measured before and after hemodialysis, and 1 month after the first administration of SCMC. Eleven of 36 cases (31.4%) achieved clinical efficacy, and there was no case with severe adverse reactions. There was a significant increase (p<0.01) in salivary volume after dialysis as compared to before dialysis. In all cases, there was no significant difference in either salivary volume or salivary components before and after SCMC administration. In the clinically effective cases, however, there were significant increases in both salivary volume (p<0.01) and salivary pH (p<0.05) after SCMC administration as compared to before administration. It is concluded that SCMC administration is effective and safe in hemodialysis patients with severe xerostomia.
