Skip to main content

Table 2 Distribution of clinical indexes and oral conditions between non-severe and severe oral dryness in end-of-life patients with advanced cancers

From: Professional oral care in end-of-life patients with advanced cancers in a hospice ward: improvement of oral conditions

 

End-of-life patients (n = 27)

χ2 / Fisher’s exact test

Mann- Whitney U

Oral dryness

NOD (n = 15)

SOD (n = 12)

n (%)/ Median (IQR)

p

pb

Clinical index

 Gender

  Males

7

(46.7%)

5

(41.7%)

0.795

 

  Females

8

(53.3%)

7

(58.3%)

  

 Age (yrs)

62.0

(58.0–70.0)

67.0

(58.5–72.8)

 

0.806

 Education level (yrs)

   ≤ 9

7

(53.8%)

6

(66.7%)

0.674a

 

   > 9

6

(46.2%)

3

(33.3%)

  

 BMI

21.0

(20.0–23.0)

24.0

(17.8–26.8)

 

0.247

 Estimated survival (days)

9.0

(4.0–21.0)

10.0

(4.3–15.0)

 

0.826

 ECOG status (bedridden time(%))

   < 100%

6

(40.0%)

6

(50.0%)

0.603

 

  100%

9

(60.0%)

6

(50.0%)

  

 ADL

0.0

(0.0–30.0)

0.0

(0.0–0.0)

 

0.139

 Glasgow coma scale

14.0

(8.0–15.0)

14.0

(9.3–15.0)

 

0.878

 Palliative prognosis index

8.0

(4.0–12.8)

10.0

(8.0–14.8)

 

0.209

 Limb edema index (0–16 scores)

2.0

(0.0–4.0)

6.0

(2.3–7.8)

 

0.100

 Limb edema

  Index > 0

4

(26.7%)

1

(9.1%)

0.356a

 

  Index =0

11

(73.3%)

10

(90.9%)

  

 Bacterial amount level

  Low

8

(53.3%)

9

(81.8%)

0.217a

 

  High

7

(46.7%)

2

(18.2%)

  

Oral conditions

 Mucosa healthiness

  Mucositis

   (−)

13

(86.7%)

4

(33.3%)

0.007a*

 

   (+)

2

(13.3%)

8

(66.7%)

  

  Candida infection

   (+)

9

(60.0%)

10

(83.3%)

0.236a

 

   (−)

6

(40.0%)

2

(16.7%)

  

  Oral bleeding

   (+)

3

(20.0%)

1

(8.3%)

0.61a

 

   (−)

12

(80.0%)

11

(91.7%)

  

 Oral moisture

  Sensation of oral dryness

   (+)

5

(41.7%)

9

(100.0%)

0.007a*

 

   (−)

7

(58.3%)

0

(0.0%)

  

  Tongue with oral moisture machine at initial examination

27.1

(22.1–29.2)

0.0

(0.0–5.6)

 

0.002*

  Buccal mucosa with oral moisture machine at initial examination

28.5

(26.1–31.0)

20.4

(0.0–27.5)

 

0.014*

 Oral cleanliness

  Oral debris

   Mild

12

(80.0%)

3

(25.0%)

0.004*

 

   Severe

3

(20.0%)

9

(75.0%)

  

  Tongue coating index

0.4

(0.3–0.6)

0.4

(0.3–0.6)

 

1.000

General oral assessment

 OHAT at initial examination

  Total scores

6.0

(5.0–8.0)

8.5

(6.3–9.8)

 

0.014*

   Lips

1.0

(1.0–2.0)

1.0

(1.0–2.0)

 

0.422

   Tongue

1.0

(1.0–1.0)

1.0

(1.0–2.0)

 

0.019*

   Gums and tissues

0.0

(0.0–1.0)

1.0

(1.0–1.0)

 

0.011*

   Saliva

1.0

(1.0–1.0)

2.0

(2.0–2.0)

 

< 0.001*

   Natural teeth

1.0

(0.0–2.0)

1.0

(0.0–1.0)

 

0.437

   Dentures

0.0

(0.0-NA)

1.5

(0.3–2.0)

 

0.190

   Oral cleanliness

1.0

(1.0–2.0)

1.5

(1.0–2.0)

 

0.476

   Dental pain

0.0

(0.0–0.0)

0.0

(0.0–0.0)

 

0.371

Oral function

 Voice

  Normal

5

(33.3%)

0

(0.0%)

0.047a*

 

  Abnormal

10

(66.7%)

12

(100.0%)

  

 Swallow

  (+)

8

(57.1%)

8

(66.7%)

0.701a

 

  (−)

6

(42.9%)

4

(33.3%)

  

 MWST

  Swallowing with neither cough nor wet hoarseness

4

(57.1%)

2

(40.0%)

1.00a

 

  In addition to 4 points, could swallow saliva two additional times within the 30 s

3

(42.9%)

3

(60.0%)

  

 MMO

3.5

(3.0–4.0)

3.0

(2.0–3.5)

 

0.180

  1. Data are n (%) or median (IQR). NA not applicable
  2. Abbreviations: IQR interquartile range, NOD Nonsevere Oral Dryness, SOD Severe Oral Dryness, BMI Body Mass Index, ECOG Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, ADL Activities of Daily Living, OHAT Oral Health Assessment Tool, MWST Modified Water Swallowing Test, MMO Maximum Mouth Opening
  3. aFisher’s exact test
  4. bAsymptotic significance by Mann- Whitney U test
  5. * Statically significant (p < 0.05)
Back to article page

BMC Palliative Care

ISSN: 1472-684X

Contact us