• Patrycja Proc, Joanna Szczepańska, Małgorzata Zubowska, Krystyna Wyka, and Wojciech Młynarski.
• Department of Paediatric Dentistry, Medical University of Lodz, Pomorska 251, 92-213 Lodz.
• Medicine (Baltimore). 2020 Oct 16; 99 (42): e22802.

AbstractThe agents used in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) might affect the oral health of cancer patients.The study aims to assess the changes in the levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA) in saliva and blood, during first 22 days of intensive chemotherapy of ALL in children.Saliva and blood samples were taken from 24 patients, including 13 boys and 11 girls (age range: 4 - 17 years) on days 1, 8 and 22 of treatment. The levels of immunoglobulin A and total protein were estimated in samples at each time-point. The distribution of the quantitative variables was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Non-parametric statistics were used to compare the levels of repeated measurements and post hoc non-parametric analysis was applied for between time-point comparisons.A constant relationship was found between the levels of Ig A in blood and saliva (r = 0.28; P = .031). No change in salivary IgA level was observed in the prednisone-only prephase, but it dropped significantly on day 22 (10.7+/-4.8 vs 9.6+/-6.4 vs 5.7+/-3.9 ng/mL; P = .04), when chemotherapy was given (anthracycline, vincristine, L-asparaginase).In blood, the total protein level decreased significantly between day 1 and 22 (6.2+/-0.4 vs 5.1+/-0.3 g/dL; P = .001). Lymphocyte count (per microliter) also decreased (2.12+/-0.8 vs 0.41+/-0.1 vs 1.08+/-0.5; P = .002). Four children suffered from oral mucositis graded 1 or higher between days 8 and 22.Chemotherapy given during the treatment of childhood ALL is associated with a reduction in the level of salivary immunoglobulin A. Prevention of the drop of salivary IgA may diminish the risk of occurrence of acute mucosal complications.

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