title: Thalidomide in the management of recurrent aphthous ulcerations in patients who are HIV-positive: a review and case reports.
abstract: Recurrent Aphthous Ulceration (RAU) is an inflammatory ulcerative disease of unknown etiology. Although RAU are common in the general population, people with HIV disease may have ulcers that are large and painful and take a long time to heal. Local and systemic steroid therapy has been the traditional method of treatment for recurrent lesions. Recent studies have shown that systemic thalidomide therapy has the best efficacy in the treatment of major RAU in HIV-seropositive patients. Two case histories of complete resolution of the RAU are presented. We have included recommended guidelines for prescribing thalidomide according to the System for Thalidomide Education and Prescribing Safety (STEPS) Program.
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, Texas, USA. shettyk@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Kishore
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shetty
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D008297:Male; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D012008:Recurrence; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D013792:Thalidomide