Lee YH, et al. - In patients with burning mouth syndrome, researchers studied the gender differences in clinical characteristics, including salivary flow rate, psychological distress, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response and their inter-relationships. For this investigation, 18 men and 37 postmenopausal women with burning mouth syndrome had a comprehensive questionnaire evaluation, psychological evaluation, and salivary flow rate measurement. To examine the function and integrity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, laboratory tests were performed. Investigators found that unstimulated and stimulated rates of salivary flow were higher in men vs women. In both genders, symptom severity scored on a visual analogue scale negatively linked to antidiuretic hormone levels. In men and women, respectively, the visual analogue scale scores negatively linked to unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rates. In women only, unstimulated salivary flow rates positively linked to antidiuretic hormone and progesterone levels. The findings indicate that in defining the aetiology of patients with burning mouth syndrome, clinicians should consider the response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, as it may allow for more precise and efficient treatment.