THE EFFECT OF ZINC GLUCONATE MOUTHWASH ON THE PREVENTION OF MUCOSITIS FOLLOWING HIGH-DOSE METHOTREXATE IN CHILDREN WITH ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA

Inflammation of the oral mucosa is called mucositis, which is a common complication of non-surgical cancer treatments. Some previous studies have considered zinc to be suitable for preventing and reducing the course of oral mucositis. Due to the very high prevalence of this phenomenon, this study aimed to investigate the effect of zinc on the mucosal phenomenon.

This clinical trial study was performed on 47 children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) who were treated with a high dose of methotrexate. Twenty-five patients were included in the group receiving mouthwash containing zinc gluconate and 22 patients were in the control group receiving mouthwash without zinc. Patients were examined for mucositis on days 3 and 7 after starting methotrexate treatment. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20 software.

The incidence of mucositis during treatment with methotrexate was significantly lower in the zinc group than in the placebo group. Results of mucositis severity on the third day of treatment showed that in the study group lower grades of mucositis were observed while higher grades of mucositis were observed in placebo group. In the zinc group, no patient had grade 3 and 4 of mucositis. The rate of nausea and vomiting was significantly lower in the zinc mouthwash group. There was no significant difference in hematological status between the two groups. Fluid nutrition was significantly higher in zinc group but solid nutrition was not statistically significant.

Findings showed that the use of zinc mouthwash significantly reduced the incidence, course, and severity of mucositis during chemotherapy.