Pilocarpine used to treat xerostomia in patients submitted to radioactive iodine therapy: a pilot study

Xerostomia complaint is very commonly associated to radioactive iodine therapy. Alternatives to treat this morbidity can offer better quality of life to patients with thyroid cancer submitted to adjuvant iodine therapy. to report on the experience with pilocarpine on the treatment of xerostomia in t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brazilian journal of otorhinolaryngology 2010-09, Vol.76 (5), p.659-662
Main Authors: Almeida, Juliana Pereira, Kowalski, Luiz Paulo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Drug Therapy
Humans
iodine
Iodine Radioisotopes - adverse effects
Middle Aged
Original
pilocarpine
Pilocarpine - adverse effects
Pilocarpine - therapeutic use
Pilot Projects
Prospective Studies
Radionuclide Imaging
Salivary Glands - diagnostic imaging
Salivary Glands - physiopathology
Salivation - drug effects
thyroid neoplasms
Thyroid Neoplasms - radiotherapy
Treatment Outcome
xerostomia
Xerostomia - drug therapy
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Summary:Xerostomia complaint is very commonly associated to radioactive iodine therapy. Alternatives to treat this morbidity can offer better quality of life to patients with thyroid cancer submitted to adjuvant iodine therapy. to report on the experience with pilocarpine on the treatment of xerostomia in thyroid cancer patients submitted to adjuvant radioactive iodine therapy (RIT). The five patients who met the inclusion criteria received 5mg of pilocarpine, 3 tid for one week. Side effects of the drug and subjective response to xerostomia complaints after treatment were evaluated. it is a prospective, non-randomized study. Sudoresis was the most frequent side effect of pilocarpine use, followed by fatigue and headache. Two patients reported relief of xerostomia using pilocarpine, but only one patient was able to tolerate the side effects. Pilocarpine seems to relieve xerostomia complaints in thyroid cancer patients because it is able to stimulate salivary flow, but the observed side effects made the patients refuse long-term therapy continuation.
ISSN:1808-8694
1808-8686
DOI:10.1590/S1808-86942010000500021