Salivary flow rate (unstimulated) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
It is very uncertain whether pilocarpine changes salivary flow rate (unstimulated) compared with no treatment/placebo (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Side effects · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
Cost (mean per-patient supportive care costs) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
1 finding from 1 review
Dry mouth (xerostomia) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Pilocarpine led to lower xerostomia (objective, LENT-SOMA scale) compared with no treatment/placebo; GRADE not reported.
3 findings from 1 review
MD -0.40 [-0.69, -0.11]
1 study · 39 participants
GRADE not reported
RR 1.00 [0.92, 1.08]
2 studies · 48 participants
GRADE not reported
SMD -0.35 [-1.04, 0.33]
2 studies · 126 participants
Very low
Adverse effects (other reported events) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
1 finding from 1 review
Alopecia, skin toxicity, hot flush, drowsiness, sneezing, hiccupping, dizziness and fatigue reported narratively or only for the amifostine group; insufficient evidence of a difference
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported
Xerostomia (grade >= 2, 0-4 scale) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Amifostine may leads to lower xerostomia (grade >= 2, 0-4 scale) compared with no treatment/placebo (low certainty).
3 findings from 1 review
RR 0.35 [0.19, 0.67]
3 studies · 119 participants
Low
RR 0.70 [0.40, 1.23]
7 studies · 682 participants
Low
RR 0.66 [0.48, 0.92]
5 studies · 687 participants
Low
Allergic adverse events · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Amifostine may leads to higher allergic response (adverse effect) compared with no treatment/placebo (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Xerostomia (VAS) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
1 finding from 1 review
Dry mouth (xerostomia) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Chinese medicine led to lower xerostomia (dichotomous, Shenqi Fanghou recipe) compared with no treatment/placebo; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Vomiting · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Amifostine may leads to higher vomiting (adverse effect) compared with no treatment/placebo (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Asthenia · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Amifostine showed no clear difference in asthenia (adverse effect) compared with no treatment/placebo; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Xerostomia (other Chinese medicines) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
1 finding from 1 review
Overall survival · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
It is very uncertain whether pilocarpine changes overall survival compared with no treatment/placebo (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Quality of life · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
1 finding from 1 review
Overall survival · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
1 finding from 1 review
Other oral related symptoms (oral discomfort, eating difficulty, mucosal pain, oral complications) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
1 finding from 1 review
Salivary flow rate (stimulated) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
1 finding from 1 review
Overall survival · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
It is very uncertain whether amifostine changes overall survival compared with no treatment/placebo (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Locoregional control · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
Amifostine showed no clear difference in locoregional tumour control compared with no treatment/placebo; GRADE not reported.
1 finding from 1 review
Adverse effects (other reported events) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region
1 finding from 1 review
No evidence of a difference for any other adverse event (nausea, vomiting, chilling, headache, lacrimation, dysphasia, weakness, nervousness, rhinitis, blurred vision, urinary frequency, dizziness, palpitation, skin…
Studies not reported
GRADE not reported