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Effectiveness of Topical Application of Honey on Oral Mucosa of Children for the Management of Oral Mucositis Associated with Chemotherapy

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Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of topical application of honey on Oral Mucositis (OM) associated with chemotherapy.

Methods

An observational blind study is performed upon a sample of 100 children receiving chemotherapy who developed oral mucositis. All children are divided into two groups (control and experimental) who received different regimens. Both groups received routine practice of analgesic and antiseptic gel application whereas children in experimental group also received the topical application of honey on oral mucosa for the management of OM. All children are monitored from the day they developed oral mucositis until the subsidence of signs and symptoms of oral mucositis. The severity of OM was assessed with WHO-STC (Stomatitis Toxicity Criteria) scale by a observer blind.

Results

There was statistically significant difference in reduction of severity of OM in both groups of children (p < 0.01). The duration of management of OM was significantly small in the experimental group (median 4 d, IQR: 4–6 d) as compared to the control group (median 6 d, IQR: 6–8 d) (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

The topical application of honey on oral mucosa was effective in reducing the severity and duration of management of chemotherapy induced oral mucositis (CIOM; p < 0.05) and that means honey is a good quality product with rich nutritious value and would be a pleasant, simple and cost-effective modality for the management of oral mucositis associated with chemotherapy.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank principal ma’am Dr. Sandhya Ghai, NINE to allow them to under-take this study and Dr. Sunit Singhi, HOD pediatrics to permit them to complete this study in the medicine wards APC, PGIMER, Chandigarh. The authors also appreciate the cooperation of bedside nurses for the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health Nursing, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012, India

    Rai Singh

  2. National Institute of Nursing Education, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

    Sunita Sharma & Sukhwinder Kaur

  3. Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

    Bikash Medhi

  4. Hematology/Oncology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Advance Pediatric Center, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

    Amita Trehan

  5. Department of Neonatology Nursing, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

    Sunil Kumar Bijarania

Authors
  1. Rai Singh
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  2. Sunita Sharma
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  3. Sukhwinder Kaur
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  4. Bikash Medhi
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  5. Amita Trehan
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  6. Sunil Kumar Bijarania
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Contributions

RS: Conceptualized and designed the study, did data collection and analysis, drafted the initial manuscript; SKB: Helped in drafting, critical revision and finalization of the manuscript; SS, SK, BM and AT: Contributed to the study design, data collection, analysis and interpretation, and also critically reviewed the manuscript. BM will act as guarantor for this paper.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rai Singh.

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Singh, R., Sharma, S., Kaur, S. et al. Effectiveness of Topical Application of Honey on Oral Mucosa of Children for the Management of Oral Mucositis Associated with Chemotherapy. Indian J Pediatr 86, 224–228 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-018-2733-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-018-2733-x

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