• Michela Piredda, Chiara Mastroianni, Anna Marchetti, Marco Sguanci, Riccardo Farinella, Martina Natale, Diana Giannarelli, Eleonora Monaco, Matteo Martinato, Grazia Armento, Giuseppe Casale, and Maria Grazia De Marinis.
• Department of Medicine and Surgery, Research Unit Nursing Science, Campus Bio-Medico di Roma University, Rome, Italy.
• J Palliat Med. 2024 Dec 23.

AbstractBackground: Oral disorders (ODs) in palliative care (PC) are highly prevalent and significantly impact patients' quality of life (QoL). Nevertheless, evidence-based management recommendations are lacking. Several natural products are safe, well-accepted, and effective for mucosal conditions. Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a propolis-based product combined with basic oral hygiene in preventing and treating ODs. Design: A prospective, open-label, single-center phase II study was performed. Adult patients in PC with cancer or noncancer diagnoses, who were conscious, able to swallow, with a life expectancy of more than one week, were recruited. Results: ODs' improvement or maintenance of oral health was observed in 89.6% of cases. Severity of ODs significantly decreased (p < 0.001), along with reductions in oropharyngeal pain (p = 0.002) and dysgeusia (p < 0.001). Meal comfort, completion, and QoL improved; acceptability was excellent. Conclusions: The protocol was safe, well-accepted, and effective for ODs in adult patients in PC. Study registration: The study protocol was prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04911335.

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