Cyclosporine: a novel therapeutic approach for Burning Mouth Syndrome

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical cyclosporine applied as mouthwash in the treatment of burning mouth syndrome (BMS).

This was a prospective and pilot study conducted by the Department of Dermatology of the University of Rome Tor Vergata. Patients were treated with cyclosporine topically applied as mouthwash for 4 weeks. Clinical improvement was assessed using a 5 grade clinical evaluation scale and a visual analogue scale from 0 to 10 was also used to evaluate the burning symptoms.

Fifteen patients between 22-85 years (61.1±19.3), 11 female and 4 male, with a mean duration of BMS of 12.5 months, completed the study. Five out of 15 patients presented a marked improvement, 6 patients showed a moderate response, 3 patients had a slight improvement and 1 patient did not show any change. The VAS showed a reduction from 8.7 to 3.5. Adverse events were not reported.

Cyclosporine mouthwash appeared to be safe and beneficial for reducing the burning sensation in patients with BMS representing an alternative therapy in this condition.