EFFECTIVENESS OF EXTRAORAL PBM IN THE PREVENTION OF SALIVARY HYPOFLOW IN IRRADIATED PATIENTS: DOUBLE-BLIND RCT

Abstract

<h3>Objectives</h3> Evaluate the efficacy of extraoral photobiomodulation in preventing salivary hypoflow in patients undergoing radiotherapy. <h3>Study Design</h3> Fifty-two patients divided into an intervention group with 23 patients undergoing extraoral photobiomodulation and a control group with 29 patients undergoing placebo extraoral photobiomodulation, 3 times a week, during the radiotherapy period. The parameters used were 30 mW, 7.5 J/cm², 10 s/point, 0.3 J/point, 830 nm wavelength, and 0.028 cm² area. The salivary flow at rest and the Xerostomia Inventory were evaluated at 3 moments during radiotherapy and 1 month after the end. <h3>Results</h3> When comparing salivary volumes before and after radiotherapy, most of the sample had salivary flow >0.2 mL/min (control 69% vs 65% intervention, <i>P</i> > .05). The prevalence of xerostomia was higher in the control group (21% vs 17%, <i>P</i> > .05), as well as the complaint of severe xerostomia at the end of radiotherapy (35% vs 30%, <i>P</i> > .05). Oral pain was the most frequent complication (control 26% vs intervention 20%, <i>P</i> > .05). <h3>Conclusions</h3> Extraoral photobiomodulation was not effective in preventing the reduction of salivary flow during radiotherapy, but it maintained higher flow values when compared to the control group, as well as lower prevalence and severity of xerostomia.