Avaliação clínica do fluxo salivar, xerostomia, saburra lingual e disgeusias antes e após a radioterapia.

Abstract

Radiotherapy is an important treatment available for malignant head and neck neoplasias. However, this therapeutic modality triggers a number of oral complications that compromise the quality of life of the oncological patient. The present study aimed at performing a comparative assessment of salivary flow, xerostomy, tongue coating and dysgeusia rates, before and after head and neck radiotherapy. Thirty-one patients referred for radiotherapy treatment were selected. These individuals were submitted to anamnesis, determination of stimulated and unstimulated (resting) salivary flow rate (SSF and USF) and dry weight of tongue coating, in addition to the occurrence of dysgeusias. Data obtained were analyzed with SPSS 13.0 statistical software. Wilcoxon, Spearman s correlation, chi-square and student t-tests were also applied, considering p<0.05. Mean age was 38±88 years. Mean USF rates were 0.49±0.27ml/min - 0.14±0.17ml/min, while mean SSF rates were 1.77±0.79ml/min. - 0.38±0.48ml/min, respectively before and after radiotherapy, both with p = 0.000. After radiotherapy, 84% of patients reported xerostomy, 54% hyposalivation for USF and 77% for SSF. Postoperative altered sense of taste was observed in 97% of cases, and of these, 61.2% (19) were grade IV ageusia; 29% (9) grade III hypogeusia, 6.4% (2) grade II hypogeusia and 10% (3) grade II hypergeusia. Mean dry weight of tongue coating ranged from 0.072±0.557g to 0.003±0.040g before and after radiotherapy, respectively, a statistically significant difference (p=0.001). The results of the study sample shows that radiotherapy provoked dysfunction in salivary glands and the sense of taste, as well as a reduction in tongue coating, which was influenced by the marked decrease in salivary flow.