title: Correlation of oral health of children with acute leukemia during the induction phase.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment of acute leukemia's- a common childhood malignancy, involves intensive and powerful multi-drug chemotherapeutic regime. Oral lesions are a common complication in these patients affecting oral health status.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to evaluate and assess the oral health status of newly diagnosed leukemic pediatric patients during induction phase and its correlation to outcome of induction therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oral examinations was done in 33 children between the age group of 5-15 years with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myloblastic leukemia (AML), who were undergoing chemotherapy. Oral Hygiene Index- Simplified, (OHI-S) decayed missing filled teeth index (def/DMFT), Loe and Sillness index for gingiva, and complete blood count at first and fourth week of induction phase were recorded for each patient. The changes in the oral health status were analyzed with Wilcoxon signed rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During an induction phase it was observed that level of OHI-S (P = 0.002), Loe and Sillness index (P = 0.003), def/DMFT index (P = 0.076), platelet count (P = 0.00) increased significantly and no significant difference was noted in hemoglobin (P = 0.4) and total leucocytes count (P = 0.11).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was observed that, although oral health status had significantly worsened, the induction outcome was not affected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental and Prosthetics Surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Kanchan P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Dholam
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental and Prosthetics Surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gurav
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental and Prosthetics Surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Jinesh
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dugad
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Shripad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banavli
keywords: Induction phase; leukemia; oral hygiene; oral lesions