Svanberg, A., Ohrn, K., & Birgegard, G. (2015). Caphosol mouthwash gives no additional protection against oral mucositis compared to cryotherapy alone in stem cell transplantation. A pilot study. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 19, 50–53.
To determine whether the addition of Caphosol® mouth rinse to a standard of care that included oral cryotherapy would decrease the incidence of oral mucositis
Patients were randomized with a computer table to the experimental or the control group. All patients received oral cryotherapy (crushed ice in the mouth during treatment), but only the experimental group received Caphosol®. Patients in the experimental group used Caphosol® 30 mL to rinse the oral cavity four times per day starting before high-dose chemotherapy and ending on day 21. Data were collected daily from the start of chemotherapy till day 21.
Randomized, controlled, open-label study
There was no statistically significant difference between the mucositis scores, oral pain, days with TPN, use of opioids, number of hospital days, or lab values.
Adding Caphosol® to oral cryotherapy did not provide any additional effects.
Oral mucositis continues to be a major complication of chemotherapy, particularity high-dose chemotherapy. Additional research with larger sample sizes is suggested because of a trend of lower pain levels, mucositis scores, and use of analgesics in patients using Caphosol®. The 21-day use of Caphosol® and the discontinuation of Caphosol® because of taste or nausea are other items that merit additional study.