Incidence and Factors Influencing Oral Mucositis in Patients with Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the incidence of oral mucositis in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients and to identify factors influencing oral mucositis and patient outcomes according to severity. METHODS: In this retrospective study, data were collected from electronic medical records of 222 patients who had received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Oral mucositis was evaluated using WHO's assessment scale. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test, Fisher exact test, Spearman's correlation, Ordinal logistic regression, ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: A total of 69.8% of the patients evaluated developed oral mucositis (grade II and over). As a results of ordinal regression, factors influencing oral mucositis severity were found to be diagnosis, type of transplantation, oxygen inhalation and the number of antiemetics administration before transplantation. The severity of oral mucositis was found to increase the days of hospitalization, days of TPN administration, days of using antibiotics and the number and dosage of analgesics. CONCLUSION: The results would help predict severity of oral mucositis in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients and suggest that provision of appropriate nursing assessment and oral care would improve patient outcomes.