Efficacy of topical and systemic vitamin E in preventing chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis

Background: There is still no consensus regarding the optimum treatment of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis and its management is still mainly supportive. Vitamin E has been shown to be effective in reducing the symptoms of oral mucositis

Objectives: Aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of prophylactic systemic and topical vitamin E in reducing the signs and symptoms of oral mucositis in patients receiving chemotherapy

Patients and Methods: We conducted a placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial among 76 patients with a hematologic malignancy treated with chemotherapy. Patients were randomly assigned into three groups: supplementation with vitamin E paste [group 1] and 200 mg/d vitamin E pills [group 2]. Group 3 received placebo paste, identical in appearance and taste to the vit E paste, but consisting of the vehicle only. Patients were advised to use the administered medication from two days before each cycle of chemotherapy till at least 20 days after completion of each cycle. Oral exam was performed 10-14 days after each cycle of chemotherapy

Results: Patients in group 2 and 3 did not show any difference in degree of mucositis or severity of pain. However, after the second cycle, patients who were treated with topical vitamin E showed significantly less oral pain, and had fewer cases of severe mucositis compared to groups 2 and 3

Conclusions: Topical vitamin E could be beneficial in reducing the severity of oral mucositis, but no therapeutic gain would be achieved by using systemic vitamin E in this regard

[Comparison between efficacy of Tamsulosin and Terazosinin alpha-adrenergic blockers in spontaneous passage of ureter stones after ESWL [A double blind clinical trial]]

Nephrolithiasis has a high prevalence in population. Our objective was to compare time of stone passage, severity of pain, frequency of the use of analgesics and the course of disability between groups A, B and C. In this randomized controlled trial study, 240 patients were selected .inclusion criteria was all patient with 5-9mm stone diameter, and exclusion criteria was opium addiction. All of patients were categorized in 3 groups with Block Balance Randomize and double blind method. Each group consisted of 80 persons. In group A [i.e. control group] patients were given daily Diclofenac suppositories of 100mg and Diclofenac tablets of 25mg.In group B patients were given Tamsulosin tablets of 0.4 mg in addition to routine treatment and in group C patients were given Terazosin tablets of 2 mg in addition to routine treatment. Patients were visited three months after lithotripsy. The rate of ureteral stone passage in group B [85.5%] was more than group A [80%] and group C [83.3%], the mean expulsion time group A with 14.9 days was more than group B [12.1 days] and group C [12.2 days],also severity of pain on the basis of VAS chart in group B [4.7] less than group A [5.5] and C [5.2], extra analgesic requirement in alpha blockers group [B:4 patients and C:2 patients] less than control group [8 patients], and all of these were non significantly different. alpha blockers are decrease symptoms of pain and no effective response on expulsion of stones