Remote Consultations for Monitoring Actinic Cheilitis: A Preliminary Non-Randomized Clinical Trial

Area of Science:

• Oral medicine
• Teledentistry
• Dermatology

Background:

• Actinic cheilitis is a potentially malignant condition affecting the lips.
• Regular monitoring is crucial for early detection of changes.
• Traditional in-person consultations can be resource-intensive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of using remote consultations for monitoring patients with actinic cheilitis.
• To compare the diagnostic accuracy of remote evaluations with in-person assessments.
• To evaluate the quality of patient-submitted smartphone photos for diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• A cross-over, non-randomized clinical trial was conducted.
• Patients with actinic cheilitis underwent both remote and in-person consultations.
• Remote consultations involved patient interviews and smartphone-submitted photos; in-person visits included professional photography.

Main Results:

• High agreement (≥97%) was observed between remote and in-person evaluations for clinical alterations.
• Patient-submitted photos were adequate in 88.6% of cases, comparable to professional photos (97.1%).
• Remote assessment necessitated an in-person consultation in only 5.6% of cases.

Conclusions:

• Teledentistry demonstrates promise for effective actinic cheilitis follow-up, potentially reducing healthcare expenses.
• Initial diagnosis and management of actinic cheilitis should be performed by an oral medicine specialist due to its malignant potential.
• Remote monitoring can supplement in-person care, improving accessibility and efficiency.