title: A new topical treatment protocol for oral hairy leukoplakia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to present a new topical treatment protocol for oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL), consisting of a 25% podophyllin resin with a 1% penciclovir cream (PP), and to compare this topical treatment protocol's efficacy with that of 2 other topical treatment protocols: a 25% podophyllin resin (P) and a 25% podophyllin resin with a 5% acyclovir cream (PA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients with 69 OHL lesions were randomly treated using P, PA, or PP (14 patients in each topical treatment protocol). Clinical healing was determined when the white plaque could no longer be seen in the primary location of the lesion. Topical treatment performance was evaluated by clinical healing within each week of topical treatment protocol as well as by the recurrence of the lesion. Statistical survival analysis was performed using a Cox proportional hazards model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 55% of the patients presented with clinical healing of OHL within 7-8 weeks of each topical treatment protocol. After the sixth week, the PA treatment protocol presented a faster clinical healing rate of OHL. Recurrence was observed in 3 and 7 OHL lesions treated with P and PP treatment protocols, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PP treatment protocol proved to be effective; however, the PA treatment protocol was more effective in the clinical healing rate for OHL than P and PP after the sixth week of treatment, and no recurrent OHL was observed in the PA treatment group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais and Centro de Treinamento e Referência em Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias Orestes Diniz, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariela Dutra Gontijo
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Moura
authors.forename: João Paulo Amaral
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Haddad
authors.forename: Maria Inês Barreiros
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Senna
authors.forename: Efigênia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferreira e Ferreira
authors.forename: Ricardo Alves
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Mesquita
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006147:Guanine; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications / Q000635:transmission; D020010:Heterosexuality; D006801:Humans; D017733:Leukoplakia, Hairy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D011033:Podophyllin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012074:Remission Induction; D013997:Time Factors; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000998:Antiviral Agents; C053539:penciclovir; D006147:Guanine; D011033:Podophyllin; D000212:Acyclovir