The Impact of Low-Level Laser Therapy on Oral Mucositis and Quality of Life in Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Using the Oral Health Impact Profile and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplantation Questionnaires

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on oral mucositis (OM) and quality of life (QoL) of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients. Background data: OM related to high-dose chemotherapy is often associated with increased risk of mortality and impaired QoL in HSCT patients. LLLT has shown promising effects in the prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced OM. There is a dearth of literature focused on subjective aspects involving OM and QoL in patients receiving LLLT. Methods: Thirty-nine patients were randomly assigned to two groups: control (n=19) and laser (n=20). LLLT was performed from the 1st day of the conditioning regimen until day 7 post-HSCT (D+7). OM severity was evaluated in all patients [World Health Organization (WHO) scale]. A blinded observer collected subjective outcomes from patients on admission (AD), D+7 and at discharge (DC). QoL was assessed using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplantation (FACT-BMT) questionnaires. Statistical analyses included descriptive, bivariate and multivariate (generalized estimating equation) tests. Results: The overall FACT-BMT (p=0.074) and OHIP-14 (p=0.749) scores were not associated with the use of laser therapy. Both instruments showed a deterioration in QoL for the whole sample on D+7. The laser group presented less severe OM than the control group (p<0.001). Conclusions: LLLT did not influence the oral and general health-related QoL of patients undergoing HSCT, although it was clinically effective in reducing the severity of chemotherapy-induced OM.