ArticleBMC palliative care2013
Do pilocarpine drops help dry mouth in palliative care patients: a protocol for an aggregated series of n-of-1 trials.
Article in BMC palliative care, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT02982577 (Effect of Pilocarpine in Patients With Xerostomia), which is not on this map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Effect of Pilocarpine in Patients With Xerostomia
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Oral micro-electronic platform for temperature and humidity monitoring.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Diagnostic accuracy of patient-reported dry mouth as a predictor for oral dryness in terminally ill cancer patients.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2021Article
- Seeking Optimal Management for Radioactive Iodine Therapy-induced Adverse Effects.Asia-Pacific journal of oncology nursingReview
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIt is estimated that 39,000 Australians die from malignant disease yearly. Of these, 60% to 88% of advanced cancer patients suffer xerostomia, the subjective feeling of mouth dryness. Xerostomia has significant physical, social and psychological consequences which compromise function and quality of life. Pilocarpine is one treatment for xerostomia. Most studies have shown some variation in individual response to pilocarpine, in terms of dose used, and timing and extent of response.We will determine a population estimate of the efficacy of pilocarpine drops (6 mg) three times daily compared to placebo in relieving dry mouth in palliative care (PC) patients. A secondary aim is to assess individual patients' response to pilocarpine and provide reports detailing individual response to patients and their treating clinician. METHODS/
designAggregated n-of-1 trials (3 cycle, double blind, placebo-controlled crossover trials using standardized measures of effect). Individual trials will identify which patients respond to the medication. To produce a population estimate of a treatment effect, the results of all cycles will be aggregated. DISCUSSION: Managing dry mouth with treatment supported by the best possible evidence will improve functional status of patients, and improve quality of life for patients and carers. Using n-of-1 trials will accelerate the rate of accumulation of high-grade evidence to support clinical therapies used in PC.
trial registrationAustralia and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry Number: 12610000840088.
Identifiers
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.