Xerostomia Markers

摘要

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide methods of determining an efficacy of a xerostomia treatment in a mammalian subject (e.g., a human) that include the steps of comparing a first thickness of a site in the subject that comprised of sub-epithelial oral mucosa to a second thickness of the site; and thereby determining that: the xerostomia treatment is efficacious because the second thickness is greater than the first thickness; or the xerostomia treatment is not efficacious because the first thickness is greater than or equal to the second thickness. In such methods, assaying the first thickness comprises analyzing a first OCT scan of the site that was conducted at a time close to the subject starting the xerostomia treatment, and assaying the second thickness comprises analyzing a second OCT scan of the site that was conducted at a time close to the subject completing the xerostomia treatment.

主权项

1. A method of determining an efficacy of a xerostomia treatment in a mammalian subject, the method comprising comparing a first thickness of a site in the subject comprised of epithelial oral mucosa to a second thickness of the site; and determining that:
the xerostomia treatment is efficacious because the second thickness is greater than the first thickness; or the xerostomia treatment is not efficacious because the first thickness is greater than or equal to the second thickness;wherein an identification of the first thickness comprises analyzing data of a first optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan of the site that was conducted at a time close to the subject starting the xerostomia treatment; and wherein an identification of the second thickness comprises analyzing data of a second OCT scan of the site that was conducted at a time close to the subject completing the xerostomia treatment.