The impact of oral cryotherapy and oral and gastrointestinal mucositis after autologous stem cell transplantation
Abstract
Oral mucositis (OM) is a post-transplant complication. Oral cavity cooling (cryotherapy) provided during high-dose melphalan short infusion reduces the incidence of OM.
We compared patients with (n=135) and without OM (n=110) after high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cells transplantation. We observed OM, gastrointestinal mucositis (GIM) and the impact of cryotherapy.
The incidence of OM was significantly lower in the cryotherapy group. The incidence OM and GIM were more common in females and BEAM-conditioned patients.
The incidence of fevers and use of IV antibiotics was most dependent on OM and GIM, and reduced oral tissue damage (OM) mediated by oral cryotherapy did not appear to lead to reductions in FUO and antibiotic use. Although our findings do suggest that OM may have less of an impact on FUO and antibiotic use compared to GIM, we do not underestimate the importance of oral cooling in high-dose melphalan patients.