Sialadenosis is an asymptomatic bilateral parotid gland
enlargement quite common in diabetes (especially type
2). It has also been reported in alcoholism with liver pathology,
and
in
chronic
malnutrition
(19).
It
is
considered
a
metabolic
or
degenerative
pathology
(not
inflammatory
or
tumoral). The most accepted etiopathogenic theory
posits the existence of a disturbance in the autonomic
sympathetic innervation, that leads to a dysregulation
of protein synthesis and/ or its secretion. Cytoplasmic
swelling develops from engorgement of intracytoplasmic
zymogen
granules.
As
a
result, the parotid’s acini,
which normally measure 40 µm in diameter, increases to
as much as 100 µm. This enlargement causes the clinically
visible
glandular
hypertrophy
(19).
It
has
also
been
reported
that parotid enlargement in diabetic patients
could be a consequence of lipid infiltration, due to the
alteration in the lipidic metabolism in diabetes (20). In
any case, sialadenosis does not require treatment (19).