Abstract：
Although dry mouth is a relatively common condition, salivary flow is not routinely measured in dental clinical practice. Moreover, existing data regarding the use of the modified Schirmer test (MST) for the screening of dry mouth has not been summarized. This systematic review and meta-analysis, conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, aimed to determine whether the modified Schirmer test can be used to identify dry mouth. The databases of PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and CENTRAL (CRD42023393843) were systematically searched to retrieve articles published until 9th November 2023. Among the 343 original articles retrieved, six met the inclusion criteria. A total of 1150 patients, comprising 710 (61.7%) women and 440 (38.3%) men (mean age, 47.1 ± 7.3 years), were included. The meta-analysis revealed a weak correlation coefficient of r ¯ $\\bar{r}$ = 0.42 (95% Cl: 0.29-0.55) between MST and the unstimulated salivary flow rate. Therefore, while the MST might offer a simple and accessible alternative for initial screening in the future, especially in non-specialized settings, its variability in sensitivity and specificity, along with an actual lack of standardization, necessitates cautious interpretation. Further studies are necessary before recommending the test in clinical routine.
摘要：
虽然口干是比较常见的情况,在牙科临床实践中，不常规测量唾液流量。此外，关于使用改良Schirmer试验(MST)筛查口干的现有数据尚未总结.本系统综述和荟萃分析，根据PRISMA准则进行的，旨在确定改良的Schirmer测试是否可以用于识别口干。PubMed的数据库，Scopus,ScienceDirect,和CENTRAL(CRD42023393843)进行了系统搜索，以检索直到2023年11月9日发表的文章。在检索到的343篇原创文章中，六人符合纳入标准。共有1150名患者，包括710名(61.7%)女性和440名(38.3%)男性(平均年龄，47.1±7.3年)，包括在内。荟萃分析显示，MST和未刺激唾液流量之间的相关系数为r'$\\bar{r}$=0.42（95％Cl：0.29-0.55）。因此,虽然MST可能为将来的初步筛查提供简单易懂的替代方案，尤其是在非专业环境中，其敏感性和特异性的变异性，随着实际缺乏标准化，需要谨慎的解释。在临床常规中推荐该测试之前，需要进一步的研究。
