TY - JOUR
T1 - Oral Hygiene Care in Patients With Advanced Disease
T2 - An Essential Measure to Improve Oral Cavity Conditions and Symptom Management
AU - Magnani, Caterina
AU - Mastroianni, Chiara
AU - Giannarelli, Diana
AU - Stefanelli, Maria Consiglia
AU - Di Cienzo, Valeria
AU - Valerioti, Teresa
AU - Casale, Giuseppe
PY - 2019/9/1
Y1 - 2019/9/1
N2 - Background: Oral problems are frequent in palliative care and can cause disabling symptoms such as orofacial pain, dysgeusia, and xerostomia. Even if oral care is an essential aspect of nursing, it is often not considered as a priority, especially when various complex patients’ needs have to be managed. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe oral conditions and evaluate the impact of standard oral care on symptom control and patient’s perceived comfort in a sample of terminally ill patients. Method: A prospective cohort study was carried out among 415 patients who were admitted to hospice. Patients were recruited before undergoing standard assisted procedure for oral hygiene care. Oral cavity condition, symptoms, and comfort were assessed at the recruitment (T0) and after 3 days (T2). Results: Seventy-five eligible patients were recruited. The Oral Assessment Guide score was significantly decreased after oral standard care (P value <.0001). The average time spent by nursing staff for oral hygiene care was 5.3 minutes. Dysgeusia and xerostomia were significantly decreased after oral standard care (P =.02 and P =.03). Patients reported a high level of comfort (86.6%) after the procedures for oral hygiene care. Conclusion: Patients admitted to hospice had frequent alterations in oral cavity with partial loss of its functions that can compromise their quality of life. Standard procedures for oral hygiene care are simple and fast to perform, and they may improve oral cavity conditions, symptoms control, and patients’ comfort.
AB - Background: Oral problems are frequent in palliative care and can cause disabling symptoms such as orofacial pain, dysgeusia, and xerostomia. Even if oral care is an essential aspect of nursing, it is often not considered as a priority, especially when various complex patients’ needs have to be managed. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe oral conditions and evaluate the impact of standard oral care on symptom control and patient’s perceived comfort in a sample of terminally ill patients. Method: A prospective cohort study was carried out among 415 patients who were admitted to hospice. Patients were recruited before undergoing standard assisted procedure for oral hygiene care. Oral cavity condition, symptoms, and comfort were assessed at the recruitment (T0) and after 3 days (T2). Results: Seventy-five eligible patients were recruited. The Oral Assessment Guide score was significantly decreased after oral standard care (P value <.0001). The average time spent by nursing staff for oral hygiene care was 5.3 minutes. Dysgeusia and xerostomia were significantly decreased after oral standard care (P =.02 and P =.03). Patients reported a high level of comfort (86.6%) after the procedures for oral hygiene care. Conclusion: Patients admitted to hospice had frequent alterations in oral cavity with partial loss of its functions that can compromise their quality of life. Standard procedures for oral hygiene care are simple and fast to perform, and they may improve oral cavity conditions, symptoms control, and patients’ comfort.
KW - advanced disease
KW - hospice
KW - mucositis
KW - oral care
KW - oral problems
KW - palliative care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85061597371&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85061597371&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1049909119829411
DO - 10.1177/1049909119829411
M3 - Article
C2 - 30754984
AN - SCOPUS:85061597371
VL - 36
SP - 815
EP - 819
JO - American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
JF - American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
SN - 1049-9091
IS - 9
ER -