Anorexia nervosa (as exposure; diagnosed by DSM-III/III-R/IV/V) vs Healthy controls: Salivary flow rate (unstimulated)
- Population
- Patients with anorexia nervosa aged >=12 years (mean age ~18.4; entirely female in reported data), general community-dwelling population
- Intervention
- Anorexia nervosa (as exposure; diagnosed by DSM-III/III-R/IV/V)
- Comparison
- Healthy controls
- Outcome
- Salivary flow rate (unstimulated)
Anorexia nervosa probably reduces unstimulated salivary flow rate versus healthy controls (MD -0.27 ml/min, 95% CI -0.31 to -0.24; moderate certainty).
What each review found
Include earlier review versions| Finding | Effect | Studies | GRADE certainty |
|---|---|---|---|
Anorexia nervosa (as exposure; diagnosed by DSM-III/III-R/IV/V) vs Healthy individuals without anorexia nervosa (age- and sex-matched controls) Unstimulated salivary flow rate · Patients with anorexia nervosa aged >=12 years (mean age ~18.4; entirely female in reported data), general… · Clinical dental/oral examination; case-control studies and controlled clinical trials in Europe (mainly Poland, Italy, France, Germany), Australia and the USA Anorexia nervosa probably reduces unstimulated salivary flow rate versus healthy controls (MD -0.27 ml/min, 95% CI -0.31 to -0.24; moderate certainty). The influence of anorexia nervosa on oral health and related parameters potentially relevant to orthodontic… (2025) All outcomes | MD -0.27 [-0.31, -0.24] | 4 studies · 316 participants | Moderate |
Findings are shown side by side, never pooled across reviews.
The reviews
| Review | Searched up to | Included studies | AMSTAR 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The influence of anorexia nervosa on oral health and related parameters potentially relevant to orthodontic treatment: a systematic review… 2025 All outcomes | Up to February 2024 (Abstract); Methods states searched without time restriction up to April 2023 | 19 | Not applicable |
Studies behind the findings
The primary studies the full-text reviews tie to this outcome. Reviews with headline outcomes only do not list them here.
- Study of salivary and serum vaspin and total antioxidants in anorexia nervosa · 2018 · included by 1 of these review
- Salivary alpha-amylase, secretory IgA and free cortisol as neurobiological components of the stress response in the acute phase of… · 2016 · included by 1 of these review
- Salivary enzyme activity in anorexic persons—a controlled clinical trial · 2015 · included by 1 of these review
- Activation of human monocytes via their sIgA receptors. · 1991 · included by 1 of these review
How reviews are matched to this question
Reviews word the same question differently. Four decision models (TypeSafe's Jev, Liquid AI's d1-ultra, SubQ Snap and Baseten's Elephant) judged each wording of the population, intervention, comparator and outcome against the others; two wordings count as the same when at least three of them agree and none clearly disagrees, and findings count as this question only when all four elements match. Timing, setting and subgroup never split a question: they are shown on each finding.