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Preliminary study in a new protocol for the treatment of oral mucositis in pediatric patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and chemotherapy (CT)

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Abstract

Oral mucositis (OM) is a debilitating and serious side effect in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and chemotherapy (CT). Laser therapy is becoming a promising treatment option in these patients, avoiding the necessity of enteral/parenteral nutrition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of laser therapy in patients affected by oral mucositis induced by chemotherapy and HSCT. Sixteen onco-hematological pediatric patients receiving chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, affected by oral mucositis, were enrolled in this study. They were divided in two randomized groups: the laser group and the placebo-control group. Patients in the laser group were treated with HPLT (970 ± 15 nm, 3.2 W (50%), 35–6000 Hz, 240 s) for four consecutive days, once a day; and placebo group underwent sham treatment. The assessment of mucositis was recorded through WHO Oral Mucositis Grading Objective Scale, and pain was evaluated through Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Patients were monitored and evaluated 3, 7, and 11 days after the first day of laser therapy. Once OM was diagnosed, the patients had mucositis grading assessments before laser or sham application at day 3, 7, and 11 after first application. All patients of laser group demonstrated improvement in pain sensation from day 3 after first application of laser (p < 0.05), ulcerations reduced their dimensions and erythema disappeared. The patients of placebo group had improvement from day 7. In laser group, all mucositis were fully resolved from day 7 (p < 0.05). Oral mucositis negatively impacts on nutritional intake, oral hygiene, and quality of life. Laser therapy appears to be a safe and innovative approach in the management of oral mucositis. In this preliminary study, HPLT encourages to consider laser therapy as a part of onco-hematological protocol, providing to decrease pain and duration of OM induced by CT and HSCT. Further researches will be needed, especially randomized, controlled clinical trials with a large number of enrolled patients and a long term of follow-up to confirm the efficacy of laser therapy in prevention and control of OM in onco-hematological pediatric patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Paediatric Sciences, Section of Dentistry, Unit of Orthodontics and Paediatric Dentistry, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Marina Consuelo Vitale, Carola Modaffari & Feng Xiao Zhou

  2. Onco-Haematological Paediatric Division, IRCSS S. Matteo, Pavia, Italy

    Nunzia Decembrino & Marco Zecca

  3. Section of Paediatric Dentistry CIR-Dental School, University of Turin, Turin, Italy

    Patrizia Defabianis

Authors
  1. Marina Consuelo Vitale
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  2. Carola Modaffari
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  3. Nunzia Decembrino
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  4. Feng Xiao Zhou
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  5. Marco Zecca
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  6. Patrizia Defabianis
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Correspondence to Marina Consuelo Vitale.

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Ethical Committee approved the protocol.

Experiments were undertaken with the understanding and written consent of each subject and in full accordance with ethical principles.

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The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests and no financial support with any organization regarding the material discussed in the manuscript.

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Vitale, M.C., Modaffari, C., Decembrino, N. et al. Preliminary study in a new protocol for the treatment of oral mucositis in pediatric patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and chemotherapy (CT). Lasers Med Sci 32, 1423–1428 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-017-2266-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-017-2266-y

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