Lea Vuletić

Publications (2)7.87 Total impact

• Article: Intraoral electrostimulator for xerostomia relief: a long-term, multicenter, open-label, uncontrolled, clinical trial.

  Ivan Alajbeg, Denise P Falcão, Simon D Tran, Rafael Martín-Granizo, Gloria I Lafaurie, Domenica Matranga, Slavica Pejda, Lea Vuletić, Rubén Mantilla, Soraya C Leal, [......], Itai Zeevi, Beatriz C Aldape Barrios, Rodrigo M López Sánchez, Claire Lassauzay, Olivier Fromentin, Ben Z Beiski, Frank P Strietzel, Yrjö T Konttinen, Andy Wolff, Susan L Zunt
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  ABSTRACT: A previous sham-controlled multinational study demonstrated the short-term efficacy and safety for xerostomia treatment of an intraoral device that delivers electrostimulation to the lingual nerve. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that those beneficial effects would be sustained over an 11-month period. The device was tested on a mixed sample of 94 patients with xerostomia in an open-label, uncontrolled, prospective multicenter trial. Statutory outcome assessments were done at 5th, 8th, and 11th months and analyzed by multiple comparisons. Improvements achieved at month 5 from baseline were sustained throughout the follow-up period for the primary outcome, xerostomia severity, and the secondary outcomes resting whole salivary flow rate, xerostomia frequency, oral discomfort, and difficulties in speech, swallowing, and sleeping. No significant side effects were detected. The beneficial effects of a removable intraoral electrostimulating device were sustained for an 11-month period.
  Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology and oral radiology. 06/2012; 113(6):773-81.
• Article: Efficacy and safety of an intraoral electrostimulation device for xerostomia relief: A multicenter, randomized trial

  Frank P. Strietzel, Gloria I. Lafaurie, Gloria R. Bautista Mendoza, Ivan Alajbeg, Slavica Pejda, Lea Vuletić, Rubén Mantilla, Denise P. Falcão, Soraya C. Leal, Ana C. Barreto Bezerra, [......], Liselott Lindh, Meltem Koray, Gonca Mumcu, Sharon Elad, Itai Zeevi, Beatriz C. Aldape Barrios, Rodrigo M. López Sánchez, Ben Z. Beiski, Andy Wolff, Yrjö T. Konttinen
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  ABSTRACT: Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of an intraoral electrostimulation device, consisting of stimulating electrodes, an electronic circuit, and a power source, in treating xerostomia. The device delivers electrostimulation through the oral mucosa to the lingual nerve in order to enhance the salivary reflex.Methods The device was tested on a sample of patients with xerostomia due to Sjögren's syndrome and other sicca conditions in a 2-stage prospective, randomized, multicenter trial. Stage I was a double-blind, crossover stage designed to compare the effects of the electrically active device with the sham device, each used for 1 month, and stage II was a 3-month open-label stage designed to assess the long-term effects of the active device. Improvement in xerostomia severity from baseline was the primary outcome measure.ResultsA total of 114 patients were randomized. In stage I, the active device performed better than the sham device for patient-reported xerostomia severity (P < 0.002), xerostomia frequency (P < 0.05), quality of life impairment (P < 0.01), and swallowing difficulty (P < 0.02). At the end of stage II, statistically significant improvements were verified for patient-reported xerostomia severity (P < 0.0001), xerostomia frequency (P < 0.0001), oral discomfort (P < 0.001), speech difficulty (P < 0.02), sleeping difficulty (P < 0.001), and resting salivary flow rate (P < 0.01).Conclusion Our findings indicate that daily use of the device alleviated oral dryness, discomfort, and some complications of xerostomia, such as speech and sleeping difficulties, and increased salivary output. The results show a cumulative positive effect of the device over the period of the study, from baseline to the end of the trial.
  Arthritis & Rheumatism 12/2010; 63(1):180 - 190. · 7.87 Impact Factor