Total bacterial counts on oral mucosa after using a commercial saliva substitute in patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
The commercial saliva substitute Oralbalance has been reported to alleviate symptoms of postradiotherapy xerostomia in head and neck cancer patients. Oralbalance may also be effective for xerostomia in patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) with high-dose chemotherapy and total-body irradiation. However, HCT patients are in a severely compromised condition, and saliva substitute must not promote infection. We reported previously that Oralbalance has antimicrobial effects against microbial species detected during HCT in vitro. This study was performed to determine the in vivo effects of Oralbalance on oral mucosal total bacterial counts in patients undergoing HCT.


METHODS
A total of 18 neutropenic patients undergoing HCT were enrolled in this study. Before and after 1 week of Oralbalance use, bacterial samples were obtained from patients by wiping an area of varphi1 cm on the buccal mucosa with sterilized cotton swabs. Total bacterial counts of the obtained samples were examined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction amplification of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene. As controls, bacterial samples were also obtained from ten healthy subjects, and total bacterial counts were examined.


RESULTS
No significant increase in bacterial count was observed with use of Oralbalance. None of the patients showed bacterial counts above the range found in healthy controls after using Oralbalance.


CONCLUSIONS
In neutropenic patients undergoing HCT, Oralbalance did not increase the total counts of oral mucosal bacteria beyond the range found in healthy controls. Oral care using Oralbalance may alleviate the symptoms induced by hyposalivation without promoting infection.
Sugiura
Yuko
Y
Department of Pathophysiology-Periodontal Science, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Okayama 700-8525, Japan.
Soga
Yoshihiko
Y
Yamabe
Kokoro
K
Tsutani
Soichiro
S
Tanimoto
Ichiro
I
Maeda
Hiroshi
H
Kokeguchi
Susumu
S
Fujii
Nobuharu
N
Ishimaru
Fumihiko
F
Tanimoto
Mitsune
M
Nishimura
Fusanori
F
Takashiba
Shogo
S
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology*; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000494:pharmacology; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000628:therapy*; D012464:Saliva, Artificial / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*
D009067:Mouthwashes; D012464:Saliva, Artificial