Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

220 questions · 258 findings · 7 reviews · All outcomes

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No studies found 63 · 24.4%GRADE not reported 151 · 58.5%Very low 22 · 8.5%Low 18 · 7%Moderate 4 · 1.6%High 0 · 0%

Ibuprofen taken pre-emptively (about 1 hour before treatment) vs Ibuprofen taken post-treatment

Failure to complete orthodontic treatment due to pain · People undergoing orthodontic treatment (any age; 9 to 34 years in included studies)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for pain relief during orthodontic treatment 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
No studies in this comparison reported this outcome.
0 studies
No studies found

Ibuprofen taken pre-emptively (about 1 hour before treatment) vs Ibuprofen taken post-treatment

Quality of life or participant satisfaction · People undergoing orthodontic treatment (any age; 9 to 34 years in included studies)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for pain relief during orthodontic treatment 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
No studies in this comparison reported this outcome.
0 studies
No studies found

Topical NSAID (ketoprofen chewing gum) vs Local anaesthetic (benzocaine chewing gum)

Quality of life or participant satisfaction · People undergoing orthodontic treatment (any age; 9 to 34 years in included studies)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for pain relief during orthodontic treatment 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
The study did not report this outcome.
0 studies
No studies found

Amifostine (intravenous) vs Amifostine (subcutaneous)

Overall survival · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

Amifostine (intravenous) showed no clear difference in overall survival compared with amifostine (subcutaneous); GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
48 months postRT
HR 1.36 [0.89, 2.10]
1 study
GRADE not reported

Amifostine 200 mg/m2 three times weekly vs Amifostine 200 mg/m2 five times weekly

Allergic adverse events · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

Amifostine 200 mg/m2 three times weekly showed no clear difference in allergic response (adverse effect) compared with amifostine 200 mg/m2 five times weekly; GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
RR 1.00 [0.15, 6.64]
1 study · 60 participants
GRADE not reported

Amifostine vs no treatment/placebo

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

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
RR 2.91 [0.31, 27.24]
1 study · 130 participants
GRADE not reported

Chinese medicine vs no treatment/placebo

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

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
End of RT; 1 month after RT
No evidence of a difference for Tianwang Buxin Mini-pills (Lin 2014, 71 participants) or Jinlong capsules (Han 2010, 95 participants)
2 studies
GRADE not reported

Pilocarpine vs no treatment/placebo

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

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
Up to and including 6 months postRT
RR 1.07 [0.80, 1.43]
1 study · 60 participants
Very low

Polaprezinc vs Azulene oral rinse

Oral pain · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

Polaprezinc led to lower oral pain (severe, > 2 on 0-3 scale) compared with azulene oral rinse; GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
Over RT period
RR 0.36 [0.17, 0.77]
1 study · 31 participants
GRADE not reported

Chinese medicine vs no treatment/placebo

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

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
End of intervention to 3 months postRT
Insufficient evidence to determine any effect on quality of life (Lin 2014; Analysis 6.5)
1 study
GRADE not reported

Chinese medicine vs no treatment/placebo

Overall survival · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
12 months postRT
Insufficient evidence to determine any effect on overall survival (Hu 2005; Analysis 6.4)
1 study
GRADE not reported

Analgesic (any: NSAID, paracetamol, local anaesthetic or opioid) vs placebo or control

Time off school or work · People undergoing orthodontic treatment (any age; 9 to 34 years in included studies)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for pain relief during orthodontic treatment 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
No studies in this comparison reported this outcome.
0 studies
No studies found

Pilocarpine vs no treatment/placebo

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

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
End of RT
Insufficient evidence of a difference: oral discomfort MD -18.00 (95% CI -37.41 to 1.41); eating difficulties MD -14.40 (95% CI -35.38 to 6.58); mucosal pain MD -14.80 (95% CI -37.07 to 7.47); oral complications RR…
2 studies
GRADE not reported

Amifostine (intravenous) vs Amifostine (subcutaneous)

Quality of life · 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

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
No data on either quality of life or other oral related symptoms were reported.
0 studies
No studies found

Bethanechol vs Artificial saliva

Salivary flow rate (stimulated) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

Bethanechol led to higher salivary flow rate (stimulated, ml/min) compared with artificial saliva; GRADE not reported.

2 findings from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
8 to 40 weeks postRT
MD 0.21 [0.01, 0.41]
1 study · 29 participants
GRADE not reported
Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
End of RT
MD 0.13 [-0.03, 0.29]
1 study · 32 participants
GRADE not reported

Topical NSAID (ketoprofen lysinate mouthwash, 160 mg) vs Topical NSAID (benzidamine hydrochloride mouthwash, 22.5 mg)

Adverse events · People undergoing orthodontic treatment (any age; 9 to 34 years in included studies)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for pain relief during orthodontic treatment 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
The study did not report this outcome.
0 studies
No studies found

Bethanechol vs placebo

Side effects · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
No statistical difference between groups in bethanechol-related toxicity; no patient experienced severe (grade 3) toxicity (Jaguar 2015)
1 study
GRADE not reported

Amifostine (intravenous) vs Amifostine (subcutaneous)

Xerostomia (grade >= 2, 0-4 scale) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

Amifostine (intravenous) led to lower xerostomia (grade >= 2, 0-4 scale) compared with amifostine (subcutaneous); GRADE not reported.

2 findings from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
12 months postRT
RR 0.61 [0.42, 0.88]
1 study · 127 participants
GRADE not reported
Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
Up to and including 3 months postRT
RR 1.03 [0.76, 1.40]
1 study · 263 participants
GRADE not reported

Antiseptic mouthrinse vs placebo

Side effects · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

1 finding from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
No relevant adverse events were reported in any group (Lanzos 2010)
1 study
GRADE not reported

Bethanechol vs placebo

Xerostomia (grade >= 2, 0-3 scale) · Patients receiving radiotherapy on its own or in addition to chemotherapy to the head and neck region

Bethanechol led to lower xerostomia (grade >= 2, 0-3 scale) compared with placebo; GRADE not reported.

2 findings from 1 review

Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
End of RT
RR 0.43 [0.28, 0.66]
1 study · 84 participants
GRADE not reported
Pharmacological interventions for preventing dry mouth and salivary gland dysfunction following radiotherapy 2017 · Cochrane All outcomes
Up to and including 3 months postRT
RR 0.81 [0.65, 1.01]
1 study · 84 participants
GRADE not reported