Attenuation of radiation- and chemoradiation-induced mucositis using gamma-D-glutamyl-L-tryptophan (SCV-07).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a novel immunomodulating peptide (SCV-07) in attenuating the course of radiation-induced mucositis in an established animal model of oral mucositis (OM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In three separate experiments, golden Syrian hamsters received either an acute radiation challenge to the buccal mucosa of eight fractionated doses of 7.5 Gy of radiation over a 2-week-period, or a combination of acute radiation and cisplatin. In each experiment, animals were treated with varying doses or schedules of SCV-07 or placebo. OM was scored in a blinded fashion using digital images obtained during the experimental period. RESULTS: We found that SCV-07 reduced the severity and duration of both acute and fractionated radiation-induced OM. Similarly, when radiation and chemotherapy were used to induce OM, treatment with SCV-07 significantly reduced the duration of ulcerative OM. The therapeutic benefit was dependent on both dose and schedule of administration. CONCLUSION: Taken together, we found SCV-07 was able to modify the duration and severity of oral mucositis and was dependent on schedule and dose.

Periodontal maintenance therapy: an integral part of dental practice. Case reports on three periodontally involved patients.

Periodontal maintenance therapy is an integral aspect of any general dental or specialist practice. Numerous studies have indicated that periodontal therapy in the absence of a carefully designed maintenance program invariably results in the relapse of the disease condition. Accordingly, dental practices that provide periodontal care without a maintenance program deal with significant patient management and disease management issues. In this article, three cases are presented with varying levels of disease severity but all sharing the common trait of having being enrolled in a good maintenance program with positive treatment outcomes.

Topical polyene antifungals in hematopoietic cell transplant patients: tolerability and efficacy.

PURPOSE: The effectiveness of amphotericin B oral suspension versus nystatin oral suspension for the prevention of oral colonization by Candida in hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) patients was examined. METHODS: Prior to hematopoietic cell infusion, 40 patients receiving systemic fluconazole for prophylaxis were randomized to receive either amphotericin B oral suspension or nystatin oral suspension, q.i.d. The study continued to day 21 or until the patient was discharge from the hospital or withdrawn from the study. Oral examinations were conducted twice weekly, and adverse events and compliance were recorded. Cultures were taken for quantitative counts and species identification. Candida isolates were assessed for resistance to the oral antifungal agents. Blood was collected for assessment of amphotericin B levels. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Ulcerative mucositis occurred in 84.6% of patients undergoing HCT, and no correlation was observed between the severity of mucositis and the presence of oral Candida and the severity of mucositis. Systemic and topical antifungal treatment resulted in a decrease in the number of colonized patients (54.8% before treatment; 23.1% during treatment); however, oral colonization was not eliminated. Tolerability of the oral rinse products was limited, with greater noncompliance in the amphotericin B than the nystatin group. Reports of altered taste appeared to be greater in the amphotericin B group. Minimal absorption of amphotericin B was seen following oral rinsing (serum levels 0.12-0.50 microg/ml), and no consistent changes in organism susceptibility to polyenes were seen. The results suggest that topical antifungal rinses may further control oropharyngeal colonization by Candida in patients on systemic antifungals receiving HCT, but the effect is limited by tolerability and reformulation and should be considered in order to increase compliance.

The effect of antiretroviral therapy on the prevalence of oral manifestations in HIV-infected patients: a UK study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the prevalence of oral manifestations in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients on monotherapy, dual therapy, or triple therapy with the prevalence of those not on antiretroviral therapy (ART). STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of the oral manifestations of HIV was carried out on 284 HIV-infected patients, 89 of whom were undergoing ART (12 on monotherapy, 41 on dual therapy, and 36 on triple therapy) and 195 who were not undergoing ART. Oral manifestations were recorded by using established presumptive clinical criteria. Chi-square statistical tests and separate bivariate analyses were conducted by using the Spearman rank correlation to describe the relationship between the prevalence of oral lesions and ART. RESULTS: The detection of oral manifestations was significantly decreased in subjects on dual therapy and subjects on triple therapy in comparison with patients on monotherapy (P <.05) and those on no ART regimen (P =.014). Oral manifestations were also significantly increased, with CD4 counts <200 cells/mm(3) and a viral load >3000 copies/mL (P <.001). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the non-ART group, subjects on combination ART had significantly fewer HIV-related oral manifestations-probably as a result of an expression of their reconstituted immune system.

Noma: public health problem in Senegal and epidemilogical surveillance.

Noma or cancrum oris is currently a real public health problem for developing countries. In Senegal, awareness of the disease has led the country to be included in the noma programme initiated by the WHO as early as 1994. The objectives are to evaluate the incidence of necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (NUG) among children, to evaluate the prevalence of noma and infantile diseases, and to promote prevention strategies among vulnerable populations. Data processing was carried out in two phases: manual processing consisted of checking the questionnaires by nurses, and computer processing started as early as the first collection of data. Noma occurs owing to fever and similar cases. Successfully fighting against malnutrition would allow us to reduce the noma rate.

Gingival ulceration in HIV infection. A case series and case control study.

All cases of HIV-associated gingival ulceration seen at a dedicated dental clinic in a 5-year period were reviewed and compared against other patients attending the clinic. 94 (7.1%) of 1308 patients had 146 episodes of gingival ulceration. 89 patients had 140 episodes similar to acute necrotising ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG) and responded well to conventional treatment for ANUG. The cases were compared with 269 controls in logistic regression. Gingival ulceration was associated with oral candidiasis, lower age and lack of AIDS diagnosis possibly due to a protective effect of co-trimoxazole medication. 5 patients with neutropenia had extensive ulceration without the microflora of ANUG. Histopathology, viral and bacterial culture revealed non-specific changes. The ulcers did not respond to the treatment regimen for ANUG but responded to treatment of their neutropenia. Gingival ulceration is not common in HIV infection. Most cases resemble severe ANUG. It is more frequent in younger people, those with oral candidiasis and without AIDS. Co-trimoxazole may be protective. A minority of cases with ulceration and associated neutropenia resembled the non-specific oral ulceration associated with HIV.

Acyclovir given as prophylaxis against oral ulcers in acute myeloid leukaemia: randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate (a) the prophylactic effect of the antiherpetic drug acyclovir on oral ulcers in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia receiving remission induction chemotherapy and thus (b), indirectly, the role of herpes simplex virus in the aetiology of these ulcers. DESIGN: Randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial. SUBJECTS: 74 herpes simplex virus seropositive patients aged 18-84. Thirty seven patients received acyclovir (800 mg by mouth daily) and 37 placebo. The patients were examined daily for 28 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Occurrence of herpes labialis, intraoral ulcers, and acute necrotising ulcerative gingivitis. RESULTS: The two populations were comparable in age, sex, type of antineoplastic treatment, and history of herpes labialis. Acute oral infections occurred in 25 of the acyclovir treated patients and 36 of the placebo treated patients (relative risk 0.69 (95% confidence interval 0.55 to 0.87)). This difference was due to a reduction in the incidence of herpes labialis (one case versus eight cases; relative risk 0.13 (0.02 to 0.95)), intraoral ulcers excluding the soft palate (one case versus 13 cases; relative risk 0.08 (0.01 to 0.56)), and acute necrotising ulcerative gingivitis (one case versus eight cases; relative risk 0.13 (0.02 to 0.95)). However, ulcers on the soft palate were diagnosed with similar frequency in the two groups. Isolation of herpes simplex virus type 1 in saliva was reduced from 15 cases in the placebo group to one case in the acyclovir group (relative risk 0.07 (0.01 to 0.48)). CONCLUSION: Intraoral ulcers excluding the soft palate are most often due to infection with herpes simplex virus, whereas ulcers on the soft palate have a non-herpetic aetiology. The findings suggest that acute necrotising ulcerative gingivitis may also be due to herpes simplex virus. Prophylaxis with acyclovir should be considered for patients with acute myeloid leukaemia during remission induction therapy.

Oral hygiene status and necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis in Nigerian children.

This study was designed to determine the association between oral hygiene status and necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (NUG), as well as the severity of NUG in Nigerian children. The study cohort was made up of 438 children under 12 years attending the Dugbe Dental Centre in Ibadan, Nigeria. A dental history and intra-oral examination using probe and mirror were taken. A slightly modified Green and Vermillion index was used to determine oral hygiene status. An index was also developed for NUG severity. The result showed that only 2.4% of the children with good oral hygiene had NUG, compared with: 24.6% of those with fair oral hygiene; 62.8% of those with poor oral hygiene; and 66.7% of those with very poor oral hygiene. The prevalence of the more severe stages of the disease showed an increasing trend as the oral hygiene status became poorer. This study thus demonstrated that the prevalence of NUG was significantly higher and more severe in children with poor oral hygiene status compared with those having good oral hygiene status. (P < 0.001).

[Radiotherapy of head-neck neoplasms: prevention of inflammation of the mucosa by sucralfate treatment]. / Strahlentherapie von Kopf-Hals-Malignomen: Entzündungsprophylaxe der Schleimhaut durch Sucralfatbehandlung.

The mucosal protective effect of sucralfate (Ulcogant) was evaluated in a prospective randomised clinical study during radiation therapy. Twenty-four patients received 1 g of a sucralfate suspension 4 times a day orally for 5 min each. This group was compared with a control group of 21 patients receiving standard oral hygiene consisting of frequent tooth cleaning and disinfection of the oral and pharyngeal mucosa. The radiation technique was telecobalt therapy in two opposing fields using the shrinking field technique, with an electron boost to the posterior lymph nodes; the dosage was 60-70 Gy in daily fractions of 2 Gy. Mucosal reactions, pain and difficulty in swallowing were recorded twice a week. We also checked the patient's weight during treatment. The patients showed significant differences in all parameters, and lower weight loss compared with the control group. Minimal or absent mucosal inflammation pain or dysphagia were found in 88%, 79% and 83% respectively, while 43% and 29% and 52% of the controls had such mild radiation side-effects. Local effectivity appeared to be less in the hypopharynx due to shorter time of application compared with mouth and oropharynx. There were no side-effects from the sucralfate. Sucralfate prophylaxis is effective and easy to apply in the protection of mucosa during irradiation therapy.

Dental problems in athletes.

The high performance standards required of an Olympic athlete can only be attained by a totally healthy individual. Optimal dental health is a necessary element. The universality of dental disease can be altered by modern prevention modalities and self-administered hygiene. Nonetheless, any dental or medical program of care should be prepared for the treatment of dental disease and trauma. Suggested is a program of prevention and treatment grounded in modern basic science and dealing with the overlay of the sociopsychological phenomena, which is an essential part of effective health care.