title: A double blind randomised placebo controlled study of propolis (bee glue) effectiveness in the treatment of severe oral mucositis in chemotherapy treated children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis (OM) is a debilitating side effect. In addition to standard therapy, patients often use complementary and alternative medicine to treat OM.
  
  
  METHODS
  Double blind randomised placebo controlled study assessing propolis (bee glue) efficacy for chemotherapy-induced severe OM treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  University Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Paediatric patients undergoing chemotherapy were randomly assigned to propolis (n=19) or placebo groups (n=21). Patients were introduced to a unified oral care protocol and asked to apply propolis or placebo to vestibular mucosa twice daily. Oral mucosa was assessed with the Oral Assessment Guide (OAG) twice a week when the patients were in hospital. Patients were followed for the period of the chemotherapy or for the first 6 months of the chemotherapy. An OAG score of 3 was considered to be severe OM and analysed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three dependent variables (a) OM episode frequency, (b) mean number of assessment visits, at which an OAG 3 score was noted, expressing mean OM duration, (c) mean number of OAG 3 scores expressing mean OM severity) were reduced to a single variable using principal component analysis. A new variable (FDS) was used as the dependent variable in ANCOVA model analysis to show the differences between study groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Severe OM was seen in 42% and 48% of patients in the propolis and placebo group, respectively. FDS was not statistically significant between study groups (p=0.59).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to our study results, propolis cannot be recommended for severe OM treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Medical Faculty of Ljubljana, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. tanjatomazevic@gmail.com
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomaževič
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jazbec
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D010919:Placebos; D011429:Propolis / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010919:Placebos; D011429:Propolis
keywords: Cancer; Chemotherapy; Children; Mucositis; Propolis