title: The influence of dental care associated with laser therapy on oral mucositis during allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant: retrospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To verify decrease in frequency and severity of oral mucositis in patients submitted to dental care and laser therapy during allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of patients submitted or not to dental care associated with laser therapy during allogeneic transplant were reviewed. The following data were collected: sex, age, underlying disease, myeloablative conditioning regimens, prophylaxis for graft versus host disease, extension and severity of oral mucositis, pain in the oral cavity and when swallowing, diarrhea, need of peripheral parenteral nutrition and presence of acute graft versus host disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant reduction in extension and severity of oral mucositis, as well as in frequency of oral cavity pain, was observed in patients with dental care/laser therapy (p < 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences regarding frequency of diarrhea, pain when swallowing, and need of parenteral nutrition among the groups. Significant association was found between acute graft versus host disease and pain when swallowing (p < 0.01). Acute graft versus host disease was not associated with oral mucositis severity, oral cavity pain, and diarrhea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dental care associated with laser therapy reduces the extension and severity of oral mucositis in patients with allogeneic hematopoietic transplant. Further studies are necessary to clarify the isolate efficacy of laser therapy in these conditions, mainly regarding the influence of reduced oral mucositis on the graft versus host disease.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein - HIAE, São Paulo, BR.
authors.forename: Fernanda de Paula
authors.initials: Fde P
authors.lastname: Eduardo
authors.affiliation: Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein - HIAE, São Paulo, BR.
authors.forename: Letícia Mello
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bezinelli
authors.affiliation: IPEN-CENEN/SP, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Mariane Couto Estácio
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Orsi
authors.affiliation: Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein - HIAE, São Paulo, BR.
authors.forename: Morgani
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: IPEN-CENEN/SP, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Martha Simões
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein - HIAE, São Paulo, BR.
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hamerschlak
authors.affiliation: Department of General Pathology, College of Dentistry, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Correa