title: Mucositis and salivary antioxidants in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  High doses of chemotherapy generate DNA damage in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT), due to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In order to evaluate the local defensive effectiveness of the patient undergoing BMT, the concentrations of the antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD) and uric acid (UA) were measured in saliva.
  
  
  METHODS
  Basal saliva samples were collected from 20 patients undergoing BMT at the Oncology Department, Sanatorio Allende (Córdoba), in the stages: initial, prior to conditioning therapy (I); middle: 7 to 10 days after BMT (M) and final stage, 30 days after discharge from isolation (F). SOD levels were determined using a RANDOX kit (RANSOD superoxide dismutase manual), and for uric acid enzymatic UOD / PAP spectrophotometric method, ( Trinder Color Kit , Wiener Lab) was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  85% of the patients developed oral mucositis. SOD concentration in the M stage was significantly higher (p<0.01) compared with stage I, and it reversed in stage F. UA concentration was significantly lower (p<0.001) in stage M compared with stage I, and in stage F it recovered the initial values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SOD increase in stage M coincided with the appearance of mucositis, which could be interpreted as a defensive mechanism of saliva against oxidative stress produced by chemotherapy. UA decrease in stage M would favour the development of higher degrees of mucositis.
authors.affiliation: Phisiology Department, University of Cordoba, Haya de La Torre S/N, Pabellón Argentina, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, CP:5000 Córdoba, Argentina, evelinbach@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Evelin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bachmeier
authors.forename: Marcelo-Adrián
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mazzeo
authors.forename: María-Marcela
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Jorge-Alberto
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Linares
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jarchum
authors.forename: Fernando-Martín
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Wietz
authors.forename: Ana-Beatriz
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Finkelberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052016:Mucositis / Q000378:metabolism*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000032:analysis*; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014527:Uric Acid; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase