[Increase of saliva nitrate and nitrite level in patients with oral candidiasis].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the alterations of saliva nitrate and nitrite level in patients with oral candidiasis. METHODS: Parotid saliva and whole saliva were collected from 33 patients and 34 healthy volunteers. Concentrations of nitrate and nitrite in saliva were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Follow-up observation was performed on 10 patients after treatment. The data were statistically analyzed with independent-samples t test or paired-samples t test at alpha = 0.05. RESULTS: There was significant increase of the concentrations and secretion rate of parotid saliva nitrate in patient group as compared with controls: (49.70 +/- 0.50) vs (21.51 +/- 0.60) mg/L (t = 2.692, P = 0.009) and (27.71 +/- 0.50) vs (12.55 +/- 0.60) microg/min (t = 2.554, P = 0.013), respectively. Significantly increased concentrations and secretion rate of nitrate and nitrite [nitrate: (6.46 +/- 0.94) vs (1.11 +/- 0.70) mg/L (t = 3.792, P = 0.000); nitrite: (8.48 +/- 0.58) vs (3.39 +/- 0.53) mg/L (t = 2.888, P = 0.005); nitrate secretion rate: (10.57 +/- 0.91) vs (2.10 +/- 0.74) microg/min (t = 3.464, P= 0.001); nitrite secretion rate: (13.91 +/- 0.55) vs (6.42 +/- 0.58) microg/min (t = 2.397, P = 0.020)] were revealed in whole saliva of patients group. Significantly decreased nitrate and nitrite levels were also observed in patients after treatment, especially the changes of parotid saliva nitrate secretion rate [(37.50 +/- 0.50) vs (14.34 +/- 0.64) microg/min (t = 3.142, P = 0.012)], whole saliva nitrate [(14.29 +/- 1.01) vs (2.59 +/- 1.03) mg/L (t = 3.475, P = 0.007)] and whole saliva nitrate secretion rate [(25.97 +/- 0.93) vs (4.12 +/- 1.00) microg/min (t = 3.922, P = 0.003)]. CONCLUSION: The present study revealed the significant increase of salivary nitrate and nitrite level in patients with oral candidiasis is considered to be associated with the host defense reaction.

Risk factors for relapse of middle-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the submandibular region and floor of mouth: the importance of en bloc resection.

Our aim was to investigate retrospectively the rate of recurrence in the intervening region for middle-stage squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue and identify the factors that predict relapse and prognosis. A total of 204 patients were included, 96 in the en bloc group and 108 in the control group. The groups were comparable. Two patients in the en bloc group (2%) and 12 in the control group (11%) developed recurrences in the intervening region. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a reduction in the 5-year disease-specific survival once a recurrence had developed after the primary operation (77% compared with 14%, p<0.001). The en bloc group developed significantly fewer recurrences (2%) than the control group (11%) during the five years; p=0.037), and also had better 5-year disease-specific survival (80% compared with 66%, p=0.04). Cox's multivariate regression indicated that the pathological nodal status (p=0.016) and surgical technique (p=0.037) were independent predictive factors for the 5-year recurrence rate, as well as of 5-year disease-specific survival (p=0.001 and p=0.050, respectively). Recurrence in the intervening region is a negative prognostic factor for these patients, and we recommend en bloc resection as the management of choice for middle-stage SCC of the tongue.