A clinical trial of PUVA treatment in oral lichen planus

Seventeen patients with histologically confirmed oral lichen planus (LP) unresponsive to previous treatments were enrolled in a study on the feasibility of photochemotherapy in the treatment of oral LP. An Espe Uviolite apparatus originally designed for irradiation of light-cured dental composite fillings was used as the source of radiation. The wavelength range of the apparatus was 320-400 (UVA) nm. Two hours before irradiation, 8-methoxy-psoralen (0.6 mg/kg) was administered orally, treatments being given at intervals of 2-3 days. Subjective symptoms disappeared totally in 13 of 17 patients at a mean cumulative dose of 6.1 J/cm2. Two months after treatment with a mean total dose of 11.6 J/cm2, 12 of the 17 lesions had markedly improved. After 12-24 months of follow-up, complete clinical remission was found in 5 of the 17 patients, 7 patients were in partial remission and 5 remained only slightly improved. We conclude that PUVA treatment may be useful for treating recalcitrant oral LP but, until more extensive studies are performed, it must be considered as experimental.