Possible alternative therapies for oral lichen planus cases refractory to steroid therapies

Publication date: Available online 13 February 2016
Source:Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology
Author(s): Huamei Yang, Yuanqin Wu, Hui Ma, Lu Jiang, Xin Zeng, Hongxia Dan, Yu Zhou, Qianming Chen
Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disorder with multifactorial etiopathogenesis. Immune dysregulation plays a critical role in the development and progression of this disease. Patients' life may be affected by pain caused by atrophic-erosive lesions. Treatment is usually symptomatic given the obscure etiology. Topical steroids remain the mainstay of management. However, their therapeutic benefits are not always evident. There are substantial data on the possible therapeutic strategies that are effective in OLP cases refractory to steroids. This review provides an overview of the current approaches for the management of steroid-refractory OLP. The miscellaneous treatment regimens include tacrolimus, pimecrolimus, thalidomide, low-level laser therapy, photodynamic therapy, and surgical excision. Some results obtained from these studies were promising. However, further studies, especially randomized controlled trials with strict inclusion and exclusion criteria and larger sample sizes, are required for the evaluation of long-term safety and efficacy of these therapies.



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