Oral lichen planus treated with tacrolimus 0.1%

Area of Science:

• Oral medicine
• Dermatology
• Immunology

Background:

• Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory condition.
• Emotional stress may be linked to OLP development.
• A potential risk of OLP is the development of squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of topical tacrolimus 0.1% in treating OLP lesions.
• To assess tacrolimus as an alternative for corticosteroid-resistant OLP.
• To determine the impact of tacrolimus on OLP pain and histopathology.

Main Methods:

• Fifteen OLP patients with corticosteroid-resistant lesions were treated with topical tacrolimus 0.1% twice daily for eight weeks.
• Patients completed pain assessments using a visual analog scale before and after treatment.
• Biopsies were performed before and after treatment to evaluate histopathological changes.

Main Results:

• 80% of patients (12/15) experienced total or near-total remission of pain and lesions.
• Histopathological analysis revealed moderate to strong regression of OLP in 80% of patients.
• Mild and transient side effects were observed in some patients.

Conclusions:

• Topical tacrolimus 0.1% is a safe and effective treatment for OLP.
• Tacrolimus significantly improves clinical OLP appearance and reduces pain.
• This treatment also positively impacts the histopathological features of OLP.