Clinical observation of hydrogen-water on the treatment of acute radiation-induced oral mucositis of 110 cases
Xu Changchun; Li Yanfei; Liu Chengjun; Liu Shufeng · Chinese Journal of Radiological Health. 2018;27(4):363-365.
Study at a glance
This Chinese report compared oral use and mouth rinsing with hydrogen-rich saline against ordinary saline in 110 people receiving radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal cancer. It reported less severe mouth symptoms at later visits. The published percentages do not consistently match the participant counts, and important methods are unclear, so the findings need cautious interpretation.
Human
110 patients with biopsy-confirmed nasopharyngeal carcinoma receiving radiotherapy at the Laoshan branch of PLA 401 Hospital, Qingdao, January 2015–June 2017.
Hydrogen-rich normal saline: 300 mL orally before and 300 mL after radiotherapy, plus mouth rinsing for 3–5 minutes after meals and at bedtime, from radiotherapy day 1 to its end. · Methods reports dissolved hydrogen >1.2 ppm in normal saline. This is not ordinary hydrogen-rich drinking water.
Throughout radiotherapy; assessments at weeks 2, 4 and 6.
The article reports less severe mucositis, pain and swallowing impairment at weeks 4 and 6 (ordinal comparisons reported as P < 0.05; exact P values and confidence intervals not given). Week 6 raw mucositis grade III/IV counts were 7 and 3 in the hydrogen group versus 24 and 10 in controls. Grade III pain counts were 3 versus 17; grade III swallowing impairment 0 versus 7. Published percentages are internally inconsistent; these counts do not establish a reliable efficacy estimate.
Random allocation is stated, but sequence generation, concealment and blinding are unclear. Subjective ordinal outcomes, limited participant-flow reporting and combined oral/rinse exposure limit interpretation. Published table percentages do not consistently match counts or the stated 55 participants per group. The Methods describes hydrogen-rich normal saline despite the water title. Radiotherapy is described as 2 Gy five times weekly for 6 weeks but a total 60–70 Gy; the upper total is unexplained. No reliable numerical efficacy estimate is derived. Ethics-approval and informed-consent statements were not located in the checked full article.
What kind of evidence is this?
Human
Parallel-group clinical study; random allocation stated without sequence-generation, concealment or blinding details.
富氢水防治放射性口腔粘膜反应110例临床观察
Oral and dental health
Other forms
Information not yet classified
Some editorial classification fields are still pending. The source-reported outcomes and result are shown below; Hydrogenology does not infer a positive or negative signal from prose automatically.
Methods
110 patients with biopsy-confirmed nasopharyngeal carcinoma receiving radiotherapy at the Laoshan branch of PLA 401 Hospital, Qingdao, January 2015–June 2017.
110 allocated, 55 per group. Tables report 55 per group, but no participant-flow or attrition accounting is provided.
Throughout radiotherapy; assessments at weeks 2, 4 and 6.
Hydrogen-rich normal saline: 300 mL orally before and 300 mL after radiotherapy, plus mouth rinsing for 3–5 minutes after meals and at bedtime, from radiotherapy day 1 to its end.
H₂ dissolved in normal saline, prepared under increased pressure; combined oral use and topical mouth rinsing. The title calls it hydrogen-water.
Methods reports dissolved hydrogen >1.2 ppm in normal saline. This is not ordinary hydrogen-rich drinking water.
Equal volumes of normal saline taken orally and used for mouth rinsing, with the same radiotherapy context.
Outcomes and reported result
Oral mucosal radiation-injury grade, swallowing-function grade and pain grade at weeks 2, 4 and 6; no primary-outcome hierarchy stated.
The article reports less severe mucositis, pain and swallowing impairment at weeks 4 and 6 (ordinal comparisons reported as P < 0.05; exact P values and confidence intervals not given). Week 6 raw mucositis grade III/IV counts were 7 and 3 in the hydrogen group versus 24 and 10 in controls. Grade III pain counts were 3 versus 17; grade III swallowing impairment 0 versus 7. Published percentages are internally inconsistent; these counts do not establish a reliable efficacy estimate.
The available main full text was reviewed for methods, results, limitations and declarations. Remaining source-specific uncertainties are stated in this record.
A systematic adverse-event assessment was not reported. The absence of an adverse-event section does not establish that no adverse events occurred.
A reported association, difference or mechanism is not automatically a clinical benefit.
Limitations and applicability
Random allocation is stated, but sequence generation, concealment and blinding are unclear. Subjective ordinal outcomes, limited participant-flow reporting and combined oral/rinse exposure limit interpretation. Published table percentages do not consistently match counts or the stated 55 participants per group. The Methods describes hydrogen-rich normal saline despite the water title. Radiotherapy is described as 2 Gy five times weekly for 6 weeks but a total 60–70 Gy; the upper total is unexplained. No reliable numerical efficacy estimate is derived. Ethics-approval and informed-consent statements were not located in the checked full article.
110 patients with biopsy-confirmed nasopharyngeal carcinoma receiving radiotherapy at the Laoshan branch of PLA 401 Hospital, Qingdao, January 2015–June 2017. Findings apply only to the studied design and exposure; no treatment or device recommendation.
Military logistics plan CJN15J001 and AWS14C015; military open project 2017KB03; National Social Science Fund western project 13XGL013; hospital medical-support project 15HW09.
No dedicated conflict-of-interest statement located.
No single-study GRADE certainty rating is assigned. Read how records and evidence assessments are prepared.
Sources and record status
Source ID: doi-10.13491-j.issn.1004-714x.2018.04.020 · DOI: 10.13491/j.issn.1004-714x.2018.04.020
Complete Chinese-language publisher article in HTML, including all three tables.
AI-assisted editorial review of the available main full text, 29 October 2026. The source version and access limitations are stated in this record. No independent clinical or statistical assessment has been performed.
Complete HTML corresponding to pp 363-365: Clinical data 1.1-1.5, preparation 1.3.3, outcome scales 1.4.1-1.4.3, Results 2, Tables 1-3, Discussion 3, references and funding.
AI-assisted editorial review of the available main full text, 29 October 2026. Complete Chinese-language publisher article in HTML, including all three tables.
29 October 2026
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