Assessment of the quality of life and performance status in patients with oral submucous fibrosis in central India.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Measuring quality of life in patients with oral submucous fibrosis is of utmost importance in assessing treatment outcomes. This study examined the impact of oral submucous fibrosis and its treatment on the quality of life and performance status of persons with oral submucous fibrosis. METHODS: Quality of life was measured in patients with oral submucous fibrosis using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life head and neck 35 Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C35); performance status was measured by Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HN), at four points in time: baseline, one month, two months and three months after start of treatment. RESULTS: At the end of third month Group A and Group B showed 78% and 85% increase in mouth opening respectively. While the burning sensation of oral mucosa was decreased by 72% and 88% in group A and group B respectively (Z>1.96, P<0.05), there were significant differences in patients' quality of life and functioning at three points in time (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life head and neck 35 Questionnaire and Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients can be used successfully in potentially malignant disorders like oral submucous fibrosis. The results in this study will surely be a good guide forother studies on oral submucous fibrosis.

Association of mandible anatomy with age, gender, and dental status: a radiographic study.

Introduction. Gonial angle and antegonial region are important landmarks in mandible which is influenced by gender, age, and dental status. The objective of this study was to evaluate the gonial angle, antegonial angle, and antegonial depth and to investigate their relationship to gender, age group, and dental status. Materials and Methods. A total of 1060 panoramic radiographs were evaluated: the dentulous group, 854 subjects and the edentulous group, 206 subjects. The patients were grouped into six age groups of 10-years each. Gonial angle, antegonial angle, and antegonial depth were measured from panoramic radiographs. Results and Discussion. Corelation of age with gonial angle, antegonial angle and antegonial depth was not significant. Significant difference in mandibular angle was found between males and females. Males had significantly smaller antegonial angle and greater antegonial depth than females. Significant difference was found for gonial angle, antegonial angle, and antegonial depth between right and left sides of mandible. Conclusion. Gonial angle, antegonial angle, and antegonial depth can be implicated as a forensic tool for gender determination but not suitable for age determination.

Review of drug treatment of oral submucous fibrosis.

This study undertook a review of the literature on drug treatment of oral submucous fibrosis. An electronic search was carried out for articles published between January 1960 to November 2011. Studies with high level of evidence were included. The levels of evidence of the articles were classified after the guidelines of the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. The main outcome measures used were improvement in oral ulceration, burning sensation, blanching and trismus. Only 13 publications showed a high level of evidence (3 randomized controlled trials and 10 clinical trials/controlled clinical trials), with a total of 1157 patients. Drugs like steroids, hyaluronidase, human placenta extracts, chymotrypsin and collagenase, pentoxifylline, nylidrin hydrochloride, iron and multivitamin supplements including lycopene, have been used. Only systemic agents were associated with few adverse effects like gastritis, gastric irritation and peripheral flushing with pentoxifylline, and flushingly warm skin with nylidrin hydrochloride; all other side-effects were mild and mainly local. Few studies with high levels of evidence were found. The drug treatment that is currently available for oral submucous fibrosis is clearly inadequate. There is a need for high-quality randomized controlled trials with carefully selected and standardized outcome measures.

Estimation of serum malondialdehyde in oral cancer and precancer and its association with healthy individuals, gender, alcohol, and tobacco abuse.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco and alcohol induces generation of free radicals and reactive oxygen species, which are responsible for high rate of lipid peroxidation. Malondialdehyde is the most widely used marker of lipid peroxidation. The aim of the study was to estimate serum malondialdehyde level in oral precancer, oral cancer, and normal individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study serum malondialdehyde was measured according to the method of Ohkawa et al in 30 normal individuals and 30 patients each with histopathologically diagnosed oral precancer, and oral cancer. RESULTS: The mean serum malondialdehyde level in the control group was found to be 5.107 ± 2.32 ηmol/ml, whereas it was 9.33 ± 4.89 ηmol/ml and 14.34 ± 1.43 ηmol/ml in oral precancer and oral cancer, respectively. There was statistically significant increase in serum malondialdehyde levels in the oral precancer and oral cancer patients compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: Increased serum malondialdehyde in oral cancer and oral precancer would serve as a valuable marker for both preventive and clinical intervention, and may deserve further investigation for the early diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.