http://dgnews.docguide.com/chewing-gum-improves-taste-perception-patients-multiple-sclerosis-treated-nabiximols-spasticity?
October 30, 2017
By Jill Stein
PARIS -- October 30, 2017 -- Taste perception improves in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) receiving nabiximols for spasticity if they chew gum after taking the medication and keep the medication refrigerated, according to a study presented here at the 7th Joint Meeting of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) and the American Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS).
Nabiximols is an oromucosal spray formulated in a 1:1 ratio of tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol and approved in several countries for treatment-resistant spasticity in patients with MS.
Giacomo Lus, MD, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy, presented the findings on October 27.
Spasticity is common in MS, and its severity increases with disease progression. Despite the availability of oral antispasticity drugs, such as baclofen and tizanidine, and physiotherapy, one-third of patients with MS continue to experience moderate or severe generalised spasticity.
Although nabiximols has been shown to reduce associated treatment-resistant MS in up to two-thirds of patients after reaching an average dose of 6 to 8 sprays/day, ~10% of patients stop treatment because of taste alterations. Oral cavity-related complaints such as dry mouth, oral mucosal disorders, tooth colour changes, and alterations are also common.
The researchers conducted a study to determine whether the use of sugar-free chewing gum after each nabiximols treatment would improve taste tolerability without interfering with the drug’s effectiveness. They also tested whether refrigerating nabiximols would improve taste tolerability.
Primary endpoints were nabiximols taste perception and oral cavity abnormalities.
Patients were randomised into 3 arms: sugar-free chewing gum (n = 15), refrigerated nabiximols spray bottle (n = 20), and refrigerated nabiximols spray bottle plus sugar-free chewing gum (n = 17).
From baseline to week 4, bad taste perception was reduced from 87% to 40% with chewing gum alone, from 90% to 80% with refrigerated nabiximols alone, and from 100% to 17.6% with combined use of refrigerated nabiximols and chewing gum.
A numeric improvement (0-10 scale) was seen in oral cavity anomalies from baseline to week 4 in all groups. Mean overall scores were reduced from 4.73 to 3.56 for dry mouth, 4.40 to 2.60 for taste alteration, and 2.86 to 1.67 for oral mucosa discomfort (irritation or pain).
The novel strategy did not interfere with spasticity control.
Funding for the study was provided by Almirall.
[Presentation title: “Taste,” A Pilot Study: Palatability and Oral Cavity Tolerability of Sativex and Possible Improvement Measures in Multiple Sclerosis Patients With Resistant Spasticity. Abstract 1873]
PARIS -- October 30, 2017 -- Taste perception improves in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) receiving nabiximols for spasticity if they chew gum after taking the medication and keep the medication refrigerated, according to a study presented here at the 7th Joint Meeting of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) and the American Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS).
Nabiximols is an oromucosal spray formulated in a 1:1 ratio of tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol and approved in several countries for treatment-resistant spasticity in patients with MS.
Giacomo Lus, MD, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy, presented the findings on October 27.
Spasticity is common in MS, and its severity increases with disease progression. Despite the availability of oral antispasticity drugs, such as baclofen and tizanidine, and physiotherapy, one-third of patients with MS continue to experience moderate or severe generalised spasticity.
Although nabiximols has been shown to reduce associated treatment-resistant MS in up to two-thirds of patients after reaching an average dose of 6 to 8 sprays/day, ~10% of patients stop treatment because of taste alterations. Oral cavity-related complaints such as dry mouth, oral mucosal disorders, tooth colour changes, and alterations are also common.
The researchers conducted a study to determine whether the use of sugar-free chewing gum after each nabiximols treatment would improve taste tolerability without interfering with the drug’s effectiveness. They also tested whether refrigerating nabiximols would improve taste tolerability.
Primary endpoints were nabiximols taste perception and oral cavity abnormalities.
Patients were randomised into 3 arms: sugar-free chewing gum (n = 15), refrigerated nabiximols spray bottle (n = 20), and refrigerated nabiximols spray bottle plus sugar-free chewing gum (n = 17).
From baseline to week 4, bad taste perception was reduced from 87% to 40% with chewing gum alone, from 90% to 80% with refrigerated nabiximols alone, and from 100% to 17.6% with combined use of refrigerated nabiximols and chewing gum.
A numeric improvement (0-10 scale) was seen in oral cavity anomalies from baseline to week 4 in all groups. Mean overall scores were reduced from 4.73 to 3.56 for dry mouth, 4.40 to 2.60 for taste alteration, and 2.86 to 1.67 for oral mucosa discomfort (irritation or pain).
The novel strategy did not interfere with spasticity control.
Funding for the study was provided by Almirall.
[Presentation title: “Taste,” A Pilot Study: Palatability and Oral Cavity Tolerability of Sativex and Possible Improvement Measures in Multiple Sclerosis Patients With Resistant Spasticity. Abstract 1873]
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