Preventive Effect of Zinc Sulfate on Oral Mucositis

Objectives: Mucositis is one of the most common complications of chemotherapy that may cause ulceration and pain in oral mucosa. Side effects of mucositis consist of debilitating, difficulty of mastication, and pain. Conservative and preventive treatments are used to decrease mucositis during chemotherapy. On the other hand, zinc is an inorganic element, which has been proved to increase the healing rate of wounds. Due to physiological effects of zinc, in this study the effects of zinc in decreasing severity and pain of mucositis were evaluated.

Methods: This double-blind, case-control trial was carried out on 73 leukemic and lymphoma patients who underwent chemotherapy. Patients in the case group were administered one 220 zinc sulfate capsule daily until one week after the end of their chemotherapy treatment. Two weeks after starting chemotherapy and three months after its ending, severity and quantity of pain were checked and recorded in both groups. Data were analyzed by ANOVA test.

Results: The mean and standard deviation of mucositis severity was 1.1±0.2 in the case group and 2.7±0.3 in control group, and there was a significant difference between case and control groups (P=0.00). The mean and standard deviation of VAS in case group was 2±2.52 and 6.2±3.6 in control group two weeks after treatment. There was a significant difference between case and control groups (P=0.00). Three months after the end of chemotherapy, the mean and standard deviation of mucositis severity was 0.5±0.03 in case group and 1.5±0.3 in control group and there was a significant difference between case and control groups (P=0.00). The mean and standard deviation of VAS in case group was 5.5±0.7 and 1.5±0.7 in control group. There was a significant difference between case and control groups (P=0.00).

Conclusions: It can be concluded that zinc sulfate might decrease the intensity of mucositis.