Effects of Two Carboxymethylcellulose-containing Saliva Substitutes on Postradiation-xerostomia

“Objectives:”,To subjectively compare short-term clinical effectiveness between commercially available carboxymethylcellulose(CCMC)-based saliva substitutes(GC Dry Mouth Gel ®)and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KCMH) saliva substitutes in postradiation-xerostomia patients related to QoL. “Methods:”,Fifty head and neck cancer patients with postradiation-xerostomia were blindly assigned to receive either CCMC-based saliva substitutes(CCMC group) or KCMH saliva substitutes (KCMH group).The comprehensive Xerostomia Questionnaires were used to evaluate clinical effectiveness of saliva substitutes.Four major domains of XeQoLS were considered:physical functioning,personal/psychological functioning,social functioning and pain/ discomfort issues.Primary endpoint was the difference of xerostomia severity scores between groups at day14. “Results:”, After14 days of treatment,four major domains of xerostomia related QoL and other aspects of clinical acceptance were clinically improved in both groups.Mean self-rated VAS scores of xerostomia severity in CCMC group and KCMH group were 50.1 ±17.80 and 58.96 ±22.67 mm., respectively(p =0.036, ANCOVA controlling for baseline score).Mean scores of CCMC group were significantly different from KCMH group in three continuous outcome variables,namely:difficulty to speaking,taste alteration and frequency of sipping water(p=0.027,p=0.04and p=0.04;respectively)as well as one dichotomous outcome variable,taste alteration(p=0.048).No other significant difference was found between groups. “Conclusions:”,Both CMC-containing saliva substitutes can improve all four major domains of xerostomia related QoL scale and other aspects of clinical acceptance.Commercially available CMC-based saliva substitutes showed better results in improving severity of xerostomia,difficulty speaking,taste alteration and frequency of sipping water.Cost-effectiveness comparing between these two CMC-based saliva substitutes is needed to be further evaluated.