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Topical pilocarpine for xerostomia in patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiotherapy
Author(s) -
Pereira Raony Môlim de Sousa,
Bastos Mônica Danielle Ribeiro,
Ferreira Maíra Peres,
Freitas Osvaldo,
Macedo Leandro Dorigan,
Oliveira Harley Francisco,
Ricz Hilton Marcos Alvez,
Motta Ana Carolina Fragoso,
Macedo Ana Paula,
Tirapelli Camila,
Pedrazzi Vinicius
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
oral diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.953
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1601-0825
pISSN - 1354-523X
DOI - 10.1111/odi.13343
Subject(s) - pilocarpine , placebo , medicine , saliva , head and neck cancer , crossover study , radiation therapy , quality of life (healthcare) , head and neck , anesthesia , clinical trial , surgery , pathology , alternative medicine , nursing , psychiatry , epilepsy
Abstract Objective To evaluate a pilocarpine spray as a treatment for xerostomia in patients treated with radiotherapy (RT) for head and neck cancer (HNC). Methods This was a placebo‐controlled, double‐blind, crossover clinical trial of patients complaining of dry mouth after RT for HNC. Forty patients were randomly assigned to either placebo or pilocarpine (1.54%) spray and instructed to use three times a day for 3 months. After 1‐month washout period, patients were crossed over to receive placebo or pilocarpine. The assessments were salivary flow (Stimulated Whole Saliva Flow – SWSF), xerostomia (Xerostomia Inventory – XI), and quality of life (QoL/Oral Health Impact Profile – OHIP‐14), assessed at baseline, 1 hr (only SWSF), and at 1, 2, and 3 months of treatment. Results Posttreatment SWFS was not statistically different between pilocarpine and placebo regardless of the treatment sequence (paired T test; p > .05), except for the SWFS rates at 2 months after therapy. When comparing pilocarpine with placebo in the time points, there was no significant difference ( p > .05) for QoL or XI. Significant differences in improvement in QoL and xerostomia experience appeared along time for pilocarpine group. Conclusion The topical application of pilocarpine spray tested was similar to placebo on SWSF assessments in patients treated with RT for HNC.