Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

24 questions · 26 findings · 4 reviews · Oral Health

No studies found 3 · 11.5%GRADE not reported 18 · 69.2%Very low 4 · 15.4%Low 1 · 3.8%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%

Adverse effects (side effects; treatment withdrawals) · Patients with radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction

1 finding from 1 review

Parasympathomimetic drugs for the treatment of salivary gland dysfunction due to radiotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes
Johnson 1993 (5 mg tds): sweating 37%, headache 15%, urinary frequency 14%, vasodilatation 12%, dizziness 10%, dyspepsia 10%, nausea 8%, asthenia 8%, diarrhoea 5%; 6% withdrew at 5 mg tds and 29% at 10 mg tds. LeVeque…
2 studies · 278 participants
GRADE not reported

Other oral symptoms (dysgeusia, dysphagia) · Patients with radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction

1 finding from 1 review

Parasympathomimetic drugs for the treatment of salivary gland dysfunction due to radiotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes
Davies 1994 assessed dysgeusia and dysphagia; pilocarpine reported more effective than mucin-based artificial saliva for dysgeusia. No pooled data.
1 study · 20 participants
GRADE not reported

Dry mouth (xerostomia) · Patients with radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction

1 finding from 1 review

Parasympathomimetic drugs for the treatment of salivary gland dysfunction due to radiotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes
Davies 1994 (cross-over, 20 participants): mean improvement in VAS score 22.5 mm with pilocarpine vs 15.2 mm with artificial saliva (100 mm scale). The improvement was greater with pilocarpine but was not statistically…
1 study · 20 participants
GRADE not reported

Adverse effects (side effects; treatment withdrawals) · Patients with radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction

1 finding from 1 review

Parasympathomimetic drugs for the treatment of salivary gland dysfunction due to radiotherapy 2015 · Cochrane All outcomes
Davies 1994: main side effects with pilocarpine were nausea 20%, sweating 15%, lacrimation 10%. One participant definitely withdrew because of side effects; another may have.
1 study · 20 participants
GRADE not reported