An evaluation of Vitamin E and Pycnogenol in children suffering from oral mucositis during cancer chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of Vitamin E (E) and Pycnogenol (P) in treatment of Chemotherapy-Related Oral Mucositis (ChROM) in children.


METHODS
A total of 72 children, aged between 6 and 15 years, with ChROM were selected and randomly divided into three groups after assessment of oral mucositis (OM) by WHO grading system. Glycerine (control), E, and P were topically applied in group I, II, and III, respectively, and the prognosis of OM was assessed by functional, objective, and subjective parameters.


RESULTS
Patients of group II and III showed significant improvement when ChROM was analyzed through scoring systems - WHO grading, Oral Mucositis Assessment Scale (OMAS), and Children's International Mucositis Evaluation Scale (ChIMES) as compared to group I (P < 0.001); however, there was no significant difference between groups II and III.


CONCLUSIONS
Both the drugs E and P per se are effective for treatment of OM with P being not effective for the treatment of severe mucositis (grade 4). Combination of E and P and additional agents may be tried for better results.
Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
H
H
Khurana
R K
RK
Pandey
A K
AK
Saksena
A
A
Kumar
D000293:Adolescent; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D010936:Plant Extracts; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014815:Vitamins; D014810:Vitamin E; C024070:pycnogenols