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Post-Transplant Events

The effect of oral management on the severity of oral mucositis during hematopoietic SCT

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 47, pages 725–730 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Oral mucositis (OM) is a frequent adverse effect of allogenic or autologous hematopoietic SCT. It results from direct toxic injury to the mucosal epithelial cells by the immunosuppressive regimen. Here, we compared the incidence and severity of OM between a group of 24 patients who received proper oral management during hematopoietic SCT and a group of 24 who did not. The oral management group received pre-hematopoietic SCT instruction on oral care and an oral examination in the clean room. Differences in the incidence and severity of OM between the two groups were examined statistically. OM was observed in 14 (58.3%) patients in the oral management group and 22 (91.6%) in the control group. The median of the OM score was 1 for the oral management group (range 0 to 3) and 2 for the control group (range 0 to 3). There was a significant difference in the OM score (P<0.05) and in the incidence of OM between the two groups (P<0.01). This study shows that oral management may decrease the occurrence of OM. Our results also suggest that it is important to include an oral management provider on the hematopoietic SCT team.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (No. 19791486) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Clinical Sciences, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Science, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

    K Yamagata, C Arai, H Sasaki, K Onizawa, T Yanagawa, N Ishibashi, R Karube, K Shinozuka & H Bukawa

  2. Division of Dentistry and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Mito Saiseikai Hospital, Mito, Japan

    Y Takeuchi

  3. Department of Clinical and Experimental Hematology, Clinical Sciences, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Science, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

    Y Hasegawa & S Chiba

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  1. K Yamagata
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  2. C Arai
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  3. H Sasaki
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  5. K Onizawa
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Correspondence to K Yamagata.

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Yamagata, K., Arai, C., Sasaki, H. et al. The effect of oral management on the severity of oral mucositis during hematopoietic SCT. Bone Marrow Transplant 47, 725–730 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2011.171

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2011.171

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