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Hydroxychloroquine is effective in oral lichen planus: A multicenter, randomized, controlled trial
Yulang Xie1, Hao Xu1, Chunlei Li2
1State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Short-term hydroxychloroquine effectively manages oral lichen planus, showing significant symptom reduction comparable to dexamethasone. This study confirms hydroxychloroquine as a safe and beneficial treatment option for OLP.
Area of Science:
- Oral Medicine
- Dermatology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Oral lichen planus (OLP) presents significant challenges in management, particularly atrophic/erosive/ulcerative subtypes.
- Current treatment options for OLP have limitations, necessitating exploration of alternative therapeutic agents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of short-term hydroxychloroquine therapy for atrophic/erosive/ulcerative oral lichen planus (OLP).
Main Methods:
- A multicenter, randomized, controlled, evaluator-blinded, prospective clinical trial.
- 99 patients with OLP were randomized to receive systemic hydroxychloroquine (n=50) or topical 0.05% dexamethasone (n=49) for 4 weeks.
- Treatment response was assessed using reticulation, hyperemic, and ulceration (RHU) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores.
Main Results:
- Both hydroxychloroquine and dexamethasone groups demonstrated significant reductions in RHU and VAS scores (p<0.05).
- Hydroxychloroquine treatment led to a 27.49% decrease in RHU score and a 34.09% decrease in VAS score.
- No significant difference in treatment efficacy was observed between hydroxychloroquine and dexamethasone groups (p>0.05).
Conclusions:
- Hydroxychloroquine is a safe and effective therapeutic agent for managing atrophic/erosive/ulcerative oral lichen planus.
- The study supports the use of hydroxychloroquine as a viable treatment option for OLP, comparable to topical corticosteroids.
