Chemotherapy-associated oral hemorrhages in adults with acute leukemia

Dental plaque-induced gingival conditions

OBJECTIVE

This review proposes revisions to the current classification system for gingival diseases and provides a rationale for how it differs from the 1999 classification system.

IMPORTANCE

Gingival inflammation in response to bacterial plaque accumulation (microbial biofilms) is considered the key risk factor for the onset of periodontitis. Thus, control of gingival inflammation is essential for the primary prevention of periodontitis.

FINDINGS

The clinical characteristics common to dental plaque-induced inflammatory gingival conditions include: a) clinical signs and symptoms of inflammation that are confined to the gingiva: b) reversibility of the inflammation by removing or disrupting the biofilm; c) the presence of a high bacterial plaque burden to initiate the inflammation; d) systemic modifying factors (e.g., hormones, systemic disorders, drugs) which can alter the severity of the plaque-induced inflammation and; e) stable (i.e., non-changing) attachment levels on a periodontium which may or may not have experienced a loss of attachment or alveolar bone. The simplified taxonomy of gingival conditions includes: 1) introduction of the term "incipient gingivitis;" 2) a description of the extent and severity of gingival inflammation; 3) a description of the extent and severity of gingival enlargement and; 4) a reduction of categories in the dental plaque-induced gingival disease taxonomy.

CONCLUSIONS

Dental plaque-induced gingival inflammation is modified by various systemic and oral factors. The appropriate intervention is crucial for the prevention of periodontitis.

Periodontal complications of prescription and recreational drugs

Drug use for both therapeutic and recreational purposes is very widespread in most societies. The range of drugs used, the variations in response to these drugs and other health and behavioral confounders mean that drug use may be an important contributor to individualized periodontal diagnoses. In this narrative review, we review the main reported effects of drugs on the periodontal tissues and periodontal disease processes. Although some of the more common adverse drug reactions on periodontal tissues are well described, in many other cases the evidence for these drug effects is quite limited and based on small case series or isolated reports. Prescription drugs are responsible for a range of effects, including drug-induced gingival overgrowth and increased gingival bleeding, and influence periodontal inflammation and periodontal breakdown. The effects of recreational drugs on the periodontal tissues is less well researched, perhaps for the obvious reason that assembling large cohorts of recreational drug users presents particular challenges. Use of nearly all of these substances is associated with poorer periodontal and dental health, although there is almost certainly a large degree of behavioral confounding in these findings. Overall, further studies of adverse drug reactions on the periodontal tissues are required as this continues to be an important and increasing factor in periodontal health determination.

Orofacial Manifestations of Leukemic Children on Treatment: A Descriptive Study

Aim

To study the prevalence of orofacial manifestations in leukemic children undergoing treatment and to correlate these manifestations with various stages of chemotherapy.

Materials and methods

A prospective noninvasive study comprising 43 acute lymphocytic leukemic pediatric patients at various stages of therapy. They were examined on day of their each blood examination, and lesions were recorded on a self-designed pro forma. A total of 133 observations were recorded by a single observer. The treatment was divided into the phase of induction, consolidation, maintenance, and relapse.

Results

The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 10.1. There were 24 males and 19 females in this study, aged between 3 and 13 years. The common oral lesions seen were dental caries, lymphadenopathy (86.04%), pallor (65.11%), ulcers (13.95%), mucositis (16.27%), gingival enlargement, hemorrhages (20.93%), candidiasis, herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection, xerostomia (44.18%), paresthesia, and tooth mobility. Herpes simplex virus infection was seen only during induction and consolidation phases. Ulcers were seen during all phases of therapy.

Clinical significance

Orofacial manifestations may be seen as the first sign of leukemia and a dentist may play a significant role in the diagnosis of the disease per se. This study highlights not only about commonly occurring lesions but also their variation during various phases of therapy. To the best of our knowledge, no study has such an extensive reporting of orofacial manifestations of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) patients under treatment.

How to cite this article: Aggarwal A, Pai KM. Orofacial Manifestations of Leukemic Children on Treatment: A Descriptive Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2018;11(3):193-198.

Considerations in the pediatric population with cancer

This article is divided into three time periods according to the different phases of cancer treatment: pre, inter, and postcancer therapy. The purpose of dental protocols prior to cancer therapy and the incidence and management of acute and long term oral complications from cancer therapy in the pediatric population are discussed.

Dental plaque-induced gingival diseases

Gingival diseases are a diverse family of complex and distinct pathological entities found within the gingiva that are the result of a variety of etiologies. There are several clinical characteristics common to all gingival diseases and these features include clinical signs of inflammation, signs and symptoms that are confined to the gingiva, reversibility of the disease by removing the etiology, the presence of bacterial laden plaque to initiate and/or exacerbate the severity of the disease and a possible role as a precursor for attachment loss around teeth. Defining and classifying gingival diseases has not been an easy task. The tools and methods to identify gingival diseases have varied depending on the criteria used by epidemiologists, researchers, or the practicing clinician. The classification of gingival disease in this review relied upon experimental and/or epidemiological human studies that accurately and reliably assessed an underlying functional derangement that was localized to the gingiva and was reported in a peer-reviewed journal. The classification of gingival diseases that depends on dental plaque to initiate the disease process(es) has been categorized into two groups. The two categories of plaque-induced gingival diseases are those affected by local factors and those that are affected by local factors and modified by specific systemic factors found in the host. In this review, the clinical characteristics of gingival disease associated with plaque, endogenous hormone fluctuations, drugs, systemic diseases, and malnutrition were investigated.

Chemotherapy-associated oral mucosal lesions in patients with leukaemia or lymphoma

In order to determine the incidence rate of oral lesions associated with chemotherapy, as well as well as its association with clinical and laboratory parameters and potential risk factors, 50 in-patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or leukaemia under chemotherapy were followed from January 1993 to May 1994. Basal and weekly oral examinations were performed. Clinical and laboratory data were registered. Wilcoxon's rank sum test, chi square test, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used, 36 individuals with leukaemia and 14 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were followed for 158 weeks; mean age was 33 years (range 15-85). Oral lesion incidence rate was 45/100 patients-week. Exfoliative cheilitis and infections (herpes and candidosis) were the most common oral complications, followed by haemorrhagic lesions and mucositis. Haemorrhagic lesions correlated with thrombocytopenia (RR = 30.5). Etoposide administration (RR = 8.6), alkylating agents (RR = 15.6), a prior course of chemotherapy (RR = 23.2) and neutropenia (RR = 4.16) were predictors of mucositis. Oral lesions were a common complication in this study, and a possible association of mucositis with several factors is suggested.

Lesions of the oral mucosa in lymphoma patients receiving cytostatic drugs

The 1-year incidence of oral mucosal lesions during cytostatic therapy was investigated in 67 patients [34 men and 33 women (mean age 49 years)] out of 79 original patients, being treated for non-Hodgkin lymphoma or Hodgkin's disease. The incidence of lesions during examinations was 43.4%. Recurrent lesions were observed in 19.4% of cases. Mean leukocyte counts were statistically significantly lower (P < 0.01) during lesion periods than before cytostatic therapy in all lesion groups. Leukocytopenia was found in 85.4% of patients with hairy leukoplakia-like lesions (HLL), and in 81.8% of the patients with angular cheilitis. 5 out of 14 patients with oral ulcers (35.7%) had episodes of septicaemia. Mean thrombocyte counts of patients in various lesion groups were normal (< 140 x 10/1). However, low thrombocyte counts were more statistically significant (P < 0.05), when haemorrhages or HLL were present. Clinical candidiasis was diagnosed in 28.4% of patients during the treatment. However, cultivation revealed that 62.3% of salivary yeast cultures were positive. The study reported here shows a correlation between mucosal ulcers and septicemia, and between leukocytopenia, angular cheilitis and HLL. The disparity between clinically diagnosed candidiasis and the occurrence of salivary yeast counts suggests that antifungal drugs might be of prophylactic value during cytostatic therapy.

Application of INSTAT hemostat in the control of gingival hemorrhage in the patient with thrombocytopenia. A case report

Gingival bleeding in the patient with thrombocytopenia can be a difficult management problem. Primary therapy with platelet transfusions may not be sufficient to control the hemorrhage and adjunctive local therapy may be required. Currently, few local management techniques can effectively control this problem. INSTAT collagen absorbable hemostat can be used as a local adjunct with platelet transfusions and has certain application advantages over topical thrombin and microfibrillar collagen. Two successful techniques of INSTAT application to control gingival hemorrhage in a patient with severe thrombocytopenia in leukemic relapse are described.

Tissue plasminogen activator-associated lingual artery hemorrhage

Reported is the case of a patient with vertebrobasilar artery ischemia who received tissue plasminogen activator with resulting hemorrhage into the tongue and nearly exsanguinating hemorrhage from a branch of the lingual artery. Suggestions for immediate management of the hemorrhage as well as prevention are presented. As the use of thrombolytic agents increases and the list of their indications expands, unusual life-threatening hemorrhagic problems other than gastrointestinal or intracranial bleeding will be seen, and management decisions may be life saving.

Acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, monocytic variant. Report of a case

This report documents a case of a patient presenting unusual oral features of one of the rarer variants of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, a malignancy whose oral manifestations may be the first indication of the presence of an underlying blood dyscrasia. The findings at the initial appointment and the patient's progress for the following 13 months until his death are presented. Initial suspicion of the clinical symptoms and an immediate, subsequent hospital hematology report established the diagnosis. The histologic features of a gingival biopsy taken during the oral examination were strongly suggestive of leukemia. Since the leukemias may imitate other oral conditions, especially various diseases of the periodontium, it is of paramount importance that the dental clinician recognize their clinical manifestations. As future treatment modalities improve, the dental clinician is seeing more leukemic patients in remission as well as more cases that have relapsed.

Oral mucosal lesions in patients with acute leukemia and related disorders during cytotoxic therapy

This study reports the presence of oral mucosal lesions in 26 patients with acute leukemia during the initial weeks of treatment (induction period). For comparison, three groups of patients without malignant disorders (acute disorders, long-term hospitalization, antibiotic treatment) were included. All patients were treated at the University Hospital of Umeå, Sweden. During the period of hospitalization hemorrhages were seen in 14 of the 26 patients with leukemia. No specific location was found. A correlation between presence of hemorrhages and low platelet counts was noted. Eighteen of the patients revealed ulcerations during the period. Ulcerations were predominantly found on the buccal mucosa, the lips, and the tongue. A tendency to an increase in the number and severity of ulcers was noted during the period of induction therapy. A correlation between presence of ulcers and low granulocyte counts was found. Candidiasis-like changes were seen in eight of the patients with leukemia. Compared with the patients with leukemia the patients in the reference groups showed a low prevalence of oral mucosal lesions.

Quantitative analysis of the oral complications of antileukemia chemotherapy

Almost half of 1500 patients (46.9%) treated for acute leukemia developed chemotherapy-related oral infections, oral mucositis, and/or oral hemorrhages at some time during their hospitalization. The frequencies of 34.2% for infections, 16.3% for mucositis, and 13.6% for hemorrhages were each within 1.3% to 3.1% of those previously reported from this institution for smaller groups of patients. The stomatologic disruptions reflected the cytotoxic, myelosuppressive, and immunosuppressive properties of the antileukemia drugs. Because there are as yet no alternatives to the use of potent stomatotoxic drugs for the treatment of acute leukemia, it is essential that their side effects be kept to a minimum by early recognition and appropriate treatment.