Oral Surg Oral Med O
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Oral Surg Oral Med O · Aug 2003
Comparative StudyOral candidiasis in hematopoietic cell transplantation patients: an outcome-based analysis.
Despite aggressive antifungal prophylaxis, the increased risk for systemic fungal infection in recipients of hematopoietic cell transplants (HCT) continues to be a significant concern because Candida infection can cause morbidity and mortality in these patients. The objectives of this study were to examine the relationship of oral colonization by Candida species to systemic infection, mortality, and the impact of antifungal treatment on a population of recipients of HCT. ⋯ Despite systemic and topical antifungal prophylaxis, oropharyngeal colonization by Candida species was common in patients who had received HCT. Candidiasis was commonly present in those who did not survive the early transplant period. Of the 25 patients who died early after the transplantation, 92% had ulcerative mucositis in comparison with 70% of those who survived, reflecting the association of oral mucositis with the toxicity of HCT. There was a significant relationship among allogeneic and autologous HCT, length of stay, and colonization of Candida. In patients undergoing systemic antifungal prophylaxis, chlorhexidine rinse was statistically more effective in reducing colonization by Candida than chlorhexidine and nystatin combined (P =.046).