Page 124 - Effects of radiotherapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy on oral microcirculation Renee Helmers

Chapter 6
Figure 2. CytoCam images illustrating microvascular alterations in IR buccal mucosa observed across all time points: morphologic alterations in the form of telangiectasias or “ballooning” of vessels (black arrows) at T0 (a), T4 (b) and T24 (c), disorganization, malformation and loss of vessel loops (encircled) at T0 (d), T4 (e) and T24 (f). As a comparison, similar to healthy buccal mucosa, an example of organized vessel loops of the buccal mucosa observed at T24 weeks (6 months) after start of HBOT (g).
However, the difference between the time points was not significant in the post hoc analysis based on the Bonferroni correction. Sample images of buccal and gingiva microcirculation at baseline (T0), after 4 weeks (T4) and after 24 weeks (6 months; T24) are presented in Figure 3. The difference in Øbv and FCD overtime was not statistically significant different between the following groups: (previous) smokers and non-smokers, patients that received CRT and patients that only received RT and between edentulous and dentate patients. An exception to this was a significantly higher Øbv at T4 that was observed in previous smokers compared to non-smokers (22±6 mm vs. 18±5 mm) (p<0.05). Having a history of smoking showed a significant increasing effect (p<0.05) on the change of Øbv between T0 and T4 (unstandardized coefficient B; B=3.88). MFI for both buccal and gingival microcirculations was scored as 3 (normal, continuous blood flow) throughout all time points.
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