Keywords
Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Supportive Care
Retrospective Study
How to Cite
Abstract
Introduction. Oral mucositis (OM) is a prevalent and debilitating complication in patients undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), particularly following high-dose chemotherapy and total body irradiation. Despite its clinical significance, observational data on OM incidence, severity, and associated factors in HSCT recipients remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical presentation of OM, its severity, and related outcomes during hospitalisation.
Methods. A retrospective observational study was conducted at La Maddalena Cancer Center, Palermo, Italy, including 211 patients who underwent HSCT between January 2018 and December 2020. OM severity was assessed using the World Health Organization Oral Toxicity Scale. Data on demographic and clinical characteristics, total par-enteral nutrition (TPN), hospital stay, and oral care protocols were systematically extracted. Associations between OM severity and relevant variables were analysed using non-parametric tests and Spearman’s correlation.
Results. Post-transplantation, nearly all patients developed OM, with a median severity grade of 2.0 (IQR: 2.0–3.0). Male patients experienced significantly more severe OM than females (p = 0.01). Mucositis severity correlated modestly with hospital stay duration (ρ = 0.15, p = 0.03), and strongly with the number of TPN days (ρ = 0.50, p < 0.001). A significant association was also observed between OM and nausea severity (ρ = 0.20, p = 0.003). No significant correlations were found with age or educational level.
Discussion. OM remains a high-impact complication in HSCT, associated with nutritional impairment and pro-longed hospitalisation. These findings highlight the importance of comprehensive oral care protocols and underscore the need for targeted, sex-sensitive interventions and prospective multicentre research.
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