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Progress of oral care and reduction of oral mucositis—a pilot study in a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation ward

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Abstract

Purpose

Oral mucositis is a common symptomatic complication associated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). We use simple strategies aimed to reduce oral mucositis by keeping the oral cavity clean and moist. Here, we report on the progress of oral care and the changes in the degree of oral mucositis. The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate the effects of our strategies on the prevalence and the severity of oral mucositis.

Methods

Fifty-three consecutive patients from 2003 to 2006 administered with conventional allogeneic HCT were enrolled in this study. The degree of oral mucositis was evaluated daily in all patients. Our oral care program was divided into two periods: “examination and trial period (2003 and 2004)” and “intensive oral care period (2005 and 2006).” In the latter, an oral care regimen was carried out systematically by a multidisciplinary team.

Results

Using our oral care strategies, the prevalence of ulcerative oral mucositis was decreased significantly. The rate was reduced from 76% (10 of 13) of patients with ulcerative oral mucositis in 2003 to only 20% (3 of 15) in 2006.

Conclusions

Our pilot study suggests that oral mucositis in HCT patients can be alleviated by simple strategies aimed at keeping the oral cavity clean and moist.

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Acknowledgments

This study was partially conducted as the education curriculum, Practice in Dental Sciences, in Okayama University Dental School. We thank Ms. Yuka Oka, a student at Okayama University Dental School, for data analysis.

This study was partly supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (Start-up #20890138 and B #22791836 to YS) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and an unrestricted grant from the Scholarship Fund donated by the T&K Corporation, Tokyo, Japan (to ST). T&K Corporation is the exclusive agent of Biotene® products, including Oralbalance® (Laclede, Rancho Dominguez, CA), in Japan. Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences approved this private scholarship fund.

Conflicts of Interest

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathophysiology, Periodontal Science, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Okayama, 700-8525, Japan

    Yoshihiko Soga, Yuko Sugiura & Shogo Takashiba

  2. Department of Nursing, Okayama University Hospital of Medicine and Dentistry, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Okayama, 700-8525, Japan

    Kanayo Takahashi & Hitomi Nishimoto

  3. Department of Hematology, Oncology and Respiratory Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan

    Yoshinobu Maeda & Mitsune Tanimoto

Authors
  1. Yoshihiko Soga
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  2. Yuko Sugiura
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  3. Kanayo Takahashi
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  4. Hitomi Nishimoto
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  5. Yoshinobu Maeda
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  6. Mitsune Tanimoto
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  7. Shogo Takashiba
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shogo Takashiba.

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Soga, Y., Sugiura, Y., Takahashi, K. et al. Progress of oral care and reduction of oral mucositis—a pilot study in a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation ward. Support Care Cancer 19, 303–307 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-010-1002-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-010-1002-y

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