Role Of Repeated Rinsing By Warm Normal Saline In The Prevention Of Oral Mucositis In Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Patients In Changsha, China

Background Oral Mucositis (OM) is an important clinical problem because it has pain which leads to change in the nutrition (less than required the body), lower life quality, the risk of mucosal infection and subsequent septicemia. In many patients undergoing myeloablative therapy have oral mucositis, especially who has high-dose Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy such as Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients.Objectives This pilot trial assessed the effectiveness of oral rinsing by warm normal saline plus an oral care protocol in the prevention of oral mucositis in HSCT patients.Methods Of HSCT Departments the participants were randomly allocated without OM to an experimental group (n=18) and the control group (n=18). All participants received information on principles of oral hygiene procedures and skills training. Patients in the experimental group had a21day regimen of no intake cold food and drinking, just allowing warm food and drinking intake, the primary outcome of oral mucositis appearance measured by changes in the feeling of oral mucosa and World Health Organization (WHO) Assessment Mucositis Scale Grades and were measured on Days (7th,14th and21st) from the beginning of chemotherapy. Perception of tolerability and acceptability of the21days of oral rinsing by warm normal saline and the frequency of the oral care regimen also were assessed. Patients in the control group just had routine oral hygiene care and no regime for cold food intake and their oral assessed by feeling of oral mucosa and WHO Grades and were measured on Days (7th,14th and21st) from the beginning of chemotherapy.Results Thirty-six patients were recruited at the study site during eight months. The overall mean of oral mucositis appearance for the experimental group was lower than control group:33.3%vs.50%; P>0.05. The overall mean of oral change feeling on the second week and OM appearance in third week for the experimental group was significantly P=0.038, and the control group was significantly P=0.015.Conclusion This study found that oral care to prevention from OM by warm normal saline rinsing solution for HSCT patients, the oral intervention is feasibility and acceptability for oral mucositis prevention, effect of oral intervention to reducing the proportion and delay of oral mucositis occurrence, trends to improve or keeping the oral functions by the oral intervention.