Oral complications in children with cancer.

Oral complications during cancer therapy are a common source of discomfort and a potential source of systemic infection. We report the results of a 2 1/2-year prospective follow-up study on the incidence of oral complications in 214 pediatric patients with cancer. Overall, the incidence of ulcers in these patients ranked highest followed by gingivitis.

The detection of oral Candida in pediatric leukemia patients.

Among leukemia patients, a significant number of deaths are due to Candida septicemia, many of which are associated with previous oral infections. Oral candidiasis detection methods vary, and the relationship between oral candidiasis and Candida colonization (CC) is not well defined. The main objectives of this study were to compare the incidence of CC in a healthy and leukemic population, and also to evaluate the efficacy of three simple and inexpensive methods of detecting oral CC in predicting the occurrence of oral candidiasis.

Zidovudine pharmacokinetics in five HIV seronegative patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

A few reports in the literature describe zidovudine (AZT) pharmacokinetics in patients undergoing hemodialysis; however, the effect of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) on the drug's disposition has not been studied. The pharmacokinetics of AZT were evaluated in five patients, age 37-62 years, who were seronegative for the human immunodeficiency virus and were undergoing CAPD. Serial plasma, urine, and dialysate samples were collected after oral administration of AZT 200 mg.

New developments in understanding phenytoin-induced gingival hyperplasia.

In approximately half of the patients taking phenytoin, gingival fibroblasts proliferate, causing tissue overgrowth and gingival hyperplasia. Recent clinical and basic research is reviewed, describing the conditions associated with phenytoin therapy and gingival hyperplasia.