Efecto de la quimioterapia sobre la microbiota subgingival y recuento de levaduras en saliva en pacientes de 6 a12 años con leucemia linfocítica aguda en el Hospital Universitario del Valle

Abstract

The Acute Limphocytic Leukemia (ALL) can appear at any given age but is more cornmon in children. The most frequent oral complications after initiating chemotherapy are mucositis, local infections, salival gland dysfunction, impairment oftaste, pain and hemorrhages. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of the chemotherapy on the subgingival microbiota and yeast count in saliva in children of 6-12 years old with AL.L. in the Hospital Universitario del Valle. Twelve patients (8 male / 4 female) who initiated their first cycle of chemotherapy and / or returned from a resting period of3 months were included in the study. Subgingival microbial samples and non stimulated saliva samples were obtained from each patient at the beginning ofthe study and 30 and 60 days later. All information was analized using SSPS (ver 10.0) software for Windows and statistical analysis included Pearson test, Friedman test and Cochran test (P=0.05). Mucositis and gingivitis were the most frequent oral complications observed during the 3 month periodo Fusobacterium spp and gram negative enteric rods were found in high levels and frequency. A tendency ofhigh yeast count was detected with diminished salivary secretion and this could partially explain a high susceptibility to Candida infections in these patients. Moreover, a decrease in salivary secretionand pH caused by chemotherapy may have influenced the overgrowth of Fusobacterium spp and gram negative enteric rods.