Oral Care Interventions in PEG-Fed Palliative Care Patients (PEG-ORAL)

August 27, 2026 updated by: Yasemin Karacan, University of Yalova

Effects of Oral Care Interventions on Oral Mucosal Integrity in Palliative Care Patients Receiving Enteral Nutrition Via Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy: A Three-Arm Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

This pilot randomized controlled trial will compare three oral care interventions in adult palliative care patients who receive enteral nutrition through a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube. The purpose of the study is to determine how these oral care interventions affect the health and integrity of the oral mucosa.

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: oral care with Ankaferd Hemostat, benzydamine hydrochloride, or a combined solution containing methylprednisolone, ceftriaxone, and sodium bicarbonate. Oral care will be provided by trained nurses according to a standardized protocol.

Participants' mouths will be assessed at the beginning of the study and on days 7 and 15. These assessments will include examination of the oral mucosa and standardized photographs of the mouth. Relevant clinical and laboratory information available as part of routine patient care will also be recorded. The findings will be used to compare changes in oral mucosal health among the three groups.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Patients receiving enteral nutrition through a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube may experience oral health problems because of reduced oral intake, underlying disease, functional limitations, and dependence on oral care. Maintaining oral mucosal integrity is therefore an important component of nursing care in palliative care settings.

This pilot study will evaluate and compare three oral care interventions used in clinical practice in PEG-fed palliative care patients. The study will focus on changes in oral mucosal integrity, including erythema and ulceration. The findings will provide preliminary information on the effects of these interventions and may help inform the design of a future larger randomized controlled trial.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
60

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Aged 18 years or older Hospitalized in the palliative care unit Receiving enteral nutrition via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) and expected to continue PEG feeding during the study follow-up period Able to undergo baseline oral cavity assessment No clinical condition preventing the planned oral care intervention No known allergy or hypersensitivity to the components of the assigned oral care intervention Written informed consent provided by the patient or legally authorized representative

Exclusion Criteria:

Active severe bleeding in the oral cavity Extensive traumatic or surgical lesions in the oral cavity that prevent implementation of the oral care intervention Severe oral mucositis or oral tissue necrosis that prevents implementation of the intervention Uncontrolled bleeding risk or clinically significant coagulopathy Terminal agitation or clinical instability that prevents safe implementation of oral care Development of a clinical condition during follow-up that requires discontinuation of the assigned oral care intervention

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Arm 1 - Ankaferd Hemostat
Arm 1 - Ankaferd Hemostat Participants assigned to this arm will receive standardized oral care followed by topical application of Ankaferd Hemostat. For each application, 1 mL of Ankaferd Hemostat will be mixed with 4 mL of sterile water to obtain a total volume of 5 mL. The solution will be applied to the oral mucosal surfaces by trained nurses twice daily, approximately 12 hours apart, for 15 days. The solution will not be swallowed.
Drug: Ankaferd Hemostat
Ankaferd Hemostat will be used as a topical oral care intervention. For each application, 1 mL of Ankaferd Hemostat will be mixed with 4 mL of sterile water to obtain a total volume of 5 mL. The prepared solution will be applied to the oral mucosal surfaces by a trained nurse twice daily, approximately 12 hours apart, for 15 days. The solution will not be swallowed.
Experimental: Arm 2 - Benzydamine Hydrochloride
Arm 2 - Benzydamine Hydrochloride Participants assigned to this arm will receive standardized oral care followed by topical application of 0.15% benzydamine hydrochloride. The solution will be applied to the oral mucosal surfaces by trained nurses twice daily for 15 days. Because participants are fed through PEG and may have an increased risk of aspiration, the solution will not be used as a gargle and will not be swallowed.
Drug: Benzydamine Hydrochloride 0.15% w/v oromucosal solution
Benzydamine hydrochloride 0.15% will be used as a topical oral care intervention. The solution will be applied to the oral mucosal surfaces by trained nurses twice daily for 15 days. Because participants receive enteral nutrition through PEG and may have an increased risk of aspiration, the solution will not be used as a gargle and will not be swallowed.
Experimental: Arm 3 - Combined Oral Care Solution
Arm 3 - Combined Oral Care Solution Participants assigned to this arm will receive standardized oral care followed by topical application of a combined solution containing 40 mg methylprednisolone, 1000 mg ceftriaxone, and 0.84 g sodium bicarbonate. The final solution volume will be 25 mL and will be prepared with normal saline according to the standardized clinical preparation procedure. The solution will be applied to the oral mucosal surfaces by trained nurses twice daily, approximately 12 hours apart, for 15 days. The solution will not be swallowed.
Drug: Combined Oral Care Solution
A combined oral care solution containing 40 mg methylprednisolone, 1000 mg ceftriaxone, and 0.84 g sodium bicarbonate will be used as a topical oral care intervention. Ceftriaxone will be diluted with 10 mL normal saline, methylprednisolone with 5 mL normal saline, and sodium bicarbonate will be added to obtain a final volume of 25 mL. The prepared solution will be applied to the oral mucosal surfaces by trained nurses twice daily, approximately 12 hours apart, for 15 days. The solution will not be swallowed.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Oral Mucositis Assessment Scale (OMAS) Score
Time Frame: Baseline (Day 0), Day 7, and Day 15
Oral mucosal integrity will be assessed using the Oral Mucositis Assessment Scale (OMAS), which evaluates ulceration/pseudomembrane and erythema at predefined oral sites. Ulceration is scored from 0 to 3 and erythema from 0 to 2, with higher scores indicating greater oral mucosal damage.
Baseline (Day 0), Day 7, and Day 15

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Yalova

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Yalova training and research hospital

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

  • Sonis ST, Eilers JP, Epstein JB, et al. Validation of a new scoring system for the assessment of clinical trial research of oral mucositis induced by radiation or chemotherapy. Cancer. 1999;85(10):2103-2113. PMID: 10326686 Epstein JB, Silverman S Jr, Paggiarino DA, et al. Benzydamine HCl for prophylaxis of radiation-induced oral mucositis: results from a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Cancer. 2001;92(4):875-885. PMID: 11550161 Puhar I, Paleško Tubikanec T, Glavina S, et al. Effect of Benzydamine Hydrochloride on Dental Plaque Accumulation During Short-Term Restricted Oral Hygiene: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Pharmaceuticals. 2026;19:1013. Berk D, Durna Z, Akın S. Kemoterapi uygulanan kanser hastalarında ağız bakımı uygulamaları ve ağız bakım alışkanlıklarının değerlendirilmesi. Sağlık ve Toplum. 2020;30(2):54-63. Kasnak G, Fıratlı HE. Antimikrobik gargara kullanımının ağız mikrobiyotasına etkisi. In: Altındiş M, ed. Ağız Mikrobiyotası. İstanbul: Nobel Yayın Dağıtım; 2022:263-287. Dağyar K. Oral Mukoza Hastalıklarının Tedavisinde Kortikosteroid Kullanımı. Bitirme Tezi. İstanbul Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi; 2021.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 7, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
February 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 25, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 25, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 28, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 1, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 27, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • YKU-PEG-ORALCARE-2026-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

De-identified individual participant data underlying the results reported in the published article may be shared with qualified researchers upon reasonable request to the corresponding author and following approval of the proposed research purpose. Data will be shared in accordance with applicable ethical and institutional requirements.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Beginning 6 months after publication of the study results and available for 5 years.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

De-identified individual participant data and supporting information will be available to qualified researchers who submit a methodologically sound research proposal. Requests should be submitted to the corresponding author and will be reviewed by the research team. Access will be granted for approved research purposes and in accordance with applicable ethical and institutional requirements.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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