XEROSTOMIA PREVALENCE IN COVID-19 PATIENTS: A RAPID SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of xerostomia in COVID-19 patients. STUDY DESIGN: Observational studies were selected by 2 reviewers in a 2-phase process. Search strategies were applied at EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science. The risk of bias was assessed using the JBI critical appraisal checklist. The meta-analysis was performed via cross-sectional studies through the MetaXL5.3 (Microsoft Excel) software. Certainty of evidence was assessed by GRADE. RESULTS: Seven studies met the eligibility criteria and were selected for qualitative synthesis and meta-analysis. A total of 1017 participants with COVID-19 were enrolled, and the overall xerostomia prevalence was 43% (95% CI, 36-50%; I² = 71%). The overall risk of bias was considered low, and the certainty of the evidence was high. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of xerostomia in COVID-19 patients was similar to that in taste disorders. Therefore, xerostomia may be a common oral symptom and should be considered as part of the symptomatic scope of COVID-19 patients. However, few cross-sectional studies reported the xerostomia prevalence in this population. Thus, a further mechanistic investigation with homogeneous methodology is required to confirm these data.