Marija Bokor-Bratic

Unstimulated whole salivary flow rate and anxiolytics intake are independently associated with oral Candida infection in patients with oral lichen planus

Many factors have been proposed to influence oral infection with yeast. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of oral yeasts in oral lichen planus (OLP) patients and control subjects, and to perform a multiple logistic regression analysis to identify factors that influence oral Candida infection in OLP patients. In this cross-sectional study, 90 new patients with OLP and 90 sex- and age-matched control subjects with no mucosal lesions were interviewed about their health status, use of medication, and smoking and alcohol habits. Swab and unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected and salivary pH was measured. A positive Candida culture was more prevalent among OLP patients (48.9%) than among control subjects (26.7%). Candida albicans was the most frequently isolated species in both groups. By logistic regression analysis, unstimulated whole salivary flow rates of 0.11-0.24 ml min(-1) (OR = 5.90) and 0.25-0.32 ml min(-1) (OR = 3.51) and benzodiazepine anxiolytics intake (OR = 8.30) were independently associated with the presence of Candida among OLP patients. Age, denture wearing, levels of dentition, decreased salivary pH, antihypertensive drugs, and alcohol consumption were not associated with oral Candida infection in OLP patients. The results indicate that data on benzodiazepine anxiolytics intake and evaluation of unstimulated whole salivary flow rate should be considered as part of the clinical evaluation to identify OLP patients at risk for Candida infection.

Candida albicans infection in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND/AIM Systemic candidiasis in intensive care units remains an improtant problem due to antifungal resistance. Patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer are at increased risk of developing oral candidiasis and they more frequent have prior fungi colonization. Due to identification of specific risk factors predisposing to fungal infection in order to threat such patients the aim of this study was to determine the presence of Candida species in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and compare it to the control subjects (patients with benign oral mucosal lesions). METHODS A total number of 30 consecutive oral cancer examined patients were included in this prospective study (24 men and 6 women with a mean age of 61.47 years, range 41-81 years). The control group consisted of 30 consecutive patients with histologically proven benign oral mucosal lesions (16 men and 14 women with a mean age of 54.53 years, range 16-83 years). The samples for mycological examination were obtained by using sterile cotton swabs from the cancer lesion surface and in the patients of the control group from the benign mucosal lesion surface. Samples were inoculated in Sabouraud dextrose agar. For identification purposes, Mackenzie germ tube test was performend on all isolates. RESULTS The prevalence of Candida was significantly higher in oral cancer patients than in control subjects (chi2 = 5.455, p = 0.020). Candida was found on nine of the 30 cancer surfaces; 5 (16.7%) were identified as non-albicans Candida and 4 (13.3%) as Candida albicans. In the control group, only Candida albicans was isolated from 2 (6.7%) patients. In this study, no statistically significant differences in the presence of Candida species was found with respect to gender, age, smoking, alcohol consumption, wearing of dental protheses and the site of cancer lesion. CONCLUSION The increased prevalence of yeasts on the surfaces of oral carcinoma indicates a need for their suppression before any cancer treatment. There was no evidence for an association between gender, age, smoking, alcohol consumption, wearing of dental protheses, the site of cancer lesion and the yeast presence.

Bacterial flora on the surface of oral squamous cell carcinoma

4 patients (13.3%), mucocele in 4 patients (13.3%), capillary mucous haemangioma in 3 patients (10.0%), mucosal polyp in 3 patients (10.0%), chronic nonspecific sialadenitis in 3 patients (10.0%), mucosal papilloma in 2 patients (6.7%), retention cyst in 2 patients (6.7%), and subacute nonspecific inflammation in 1 patient (3.3%).