NCT01915966

Efficacy Study of a Ginger and Cardamom Gelatin for Xerostomy in Terminally Ill Patients

Randomized Clinical Trial of a Ginger and Cardamom Gelatin Compared to a Camomile and Lemon Juice Infusion in Control of Xerostomy in Terminally Ill Patients

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 32 (actual)
• Sponsor: Fundacio Salut i Envelliment UAB · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Xerostomia or dry mouth is the subjective feeling that there is not enough saliva in your mouth. It's a frequent symptom in terminally ill patients receiving palliative care, reducing their quality of life and comfort. Usual recommendations in these patients are good oral hygiene and mouthwashes, ad libitum consumption of camomile and lemon juice infusions, and ad libitum sucking of cold (e.g. ice, ice cream) or citric products (e.g. pineapple). Other xerostomia treatments such as artificial saliva and pharmacological drugs (e.g. pilocarpine) are less used in terminally ill patients due to cost and secondary effects. The purpose of this randomized parallel clinical trial is to determine if a new recipe of gelatin with orange juice, cardamome and ginger is more effective in the control of xerostomia than the usual treatment of camomile infusion with lemon juice against. Treatments will be consumed ad libitum during one week. The main outcome is the subjective assessment of dry mouth at end of treatment.

Conditions

• Xerostomia
• Salivary Gland Diseases
• Mouth Diseases

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Cardamom, ginger and orange juice gelatin	Patients will receive the recipe of the gelatin, with detailed instructions to prepare it at home, and the necessary ingredients for the gelatin. If necessary, they will be helped in the preparation of an initial batch that should last for one week of treatment. Patients will be instructed to consume the gelatin candy as necessary to alleviate the dry mouth sensation
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Camomile infusion with lemon juice	Patients will receive instructions to prepare the infusion at home, and the necessary ingredients. Patients will be instructed to ingest the infusion as necessary to alleviate the dry mouth sensation.

Timeline

• Start date: 2013-04-01
• Primary completion: 2014-01-01
• First posted: 2013-08-05
• Last updated: 2014-02-11

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Spain