Salivary Flow Analysis of Head and Neck Irradiated Patients

AbstractThis study aimed to analyze the salivary flow of irradiated patients for the head and neck cancer treatment after the conclusion of their treatment, and to compare it to the salivary flow of a group of non-irradiated patients. The salivary flow measurement was performed using the stimulated saliva analysis technique by masticatory action. The data collected were organized in planning using the Microsoft Excel program and then analyzed through the program IBM SPSS 20.0. The independent T-test was used to compare the median values between the groups that had normal distribution. 54 patients were evaluated, 18 from Group 1, of irradiated patients with an average time of ending radiotherapy of 11 months; and 36 patients from Group 2, with non-cancerous and non-irradiated patients. The mean salivary flow of Group 1 patients was 0.39 (± 0.85) and 100% of the patients expelled less than 3.5mL of saliva after stimulation for five minutes. Among the patients from Group 2, the mean salivary flow was 3.22 (± 2.65), and 77.78% of the patients had a salivary stimulation of less than 3.5 mL. This difference was statistically significant (p = 0.004). Through the methodology used, a high prevalence of hyposalivation was observed in patients irradiated in head and neck for cancer treatment even after months of the treatment conclusion and among patients without cancer and not submitted to radiotherapy. However, a deficiency in saliva production was statistically higher among patients irradiated in the head and neck. Keywords: Neoplasms. Radiotherapy. Saliva. Xerostomia. ResumoEste estudo teve como objetivo analisar o fluxo salivar de pacientes irradiados no tratamento do câncer de cabeca e pescoco apos a conclusao de seu tratamento, e compara-lo com o fluxo salivar de um grupo de pacientes nao irradiados. A medicao do fluxo salivar foi realizada utilizando a tecnica de analise de saliva estimulada por acao masticatoria. Os dados coletados foram organizados no planejamento utilizando o programa Microsoft Excel e, em seguida, analisados atraves do programa IBM SPSS 20.0. O teste T independente foi utilizado para comparar os valores medianos entre os grupos que apresentaram distribuicao normal. Foram avaliados 54 pacientes, 18 do Grupo 1, de pacientes irradiados com tempo medio de termino da radioterapia de 11 meses; e 36 pacientes do Grupo 2, com pacientes nao cancerosos e nao irradiados. O fluxo salivar medio dos pacientes do Grupo 1 foi de 0,39 (± 0,85) e 100% dos pacientes expeliram menos de 3,5 mL de saliva apos estimulacao por cinco minutos. Entre os pacientes do Grupo 2, o fluxo salivar medio foi de 3,22 (± 2,65), e 77,78% dos pacientes apresentaram estimulacao salivar inferior a 3,5 mL. Essa diferenca foi estatisticamente significante (p = 0,004). Por meio da metodologia utilizada, observou-se alta prevalencia de hiposalivacao em pacientes irradiados na cabeca e pescoco para tratamento de câncer mesmo apos meses da conclusao do tratamento e entre pacientes sem câncer e nao submetidos a radioterapia. No entanto, a deficiencia na producao de saliva foi estatisticamente maior entre os pacientes irradiados na cabeca e pescoco. Palavras-chave: Neoplasias. Radioterapia. Saliva. Xerostomia.