title: Anti-inflammatory treatment.
abstract: Inflammatory mucosal disorders are treated conventionally with potent or superpotent topical corticosteroids. For more than 20 years, topical cyclosporine has been used in the management of oral mucous membrane affections. Recently other topically applied calcineurin inhibitors, namely tacrolimus and pimecrolimus, expanded the armamentarium for the treatment of inflammatory mucosal diseases. This chapter places its main emphasis on the efficacy and safety of topical calcineurin inhibitors in the management of different oral and genital conditions, including anogenital lichen sclerosus (LS), oral and genital lichen planus, plasma cell balanitis and vulvitis, mucous membrane pemphigoid and pemphigus vulgaris, all conditions having usually a protracted course, requiring long-lasting treatment. There is current evidence for the effectiveness of both pimecrolimus and tacrolimus in the topical treatment of inflammatory oral mucosal diseases and genital dermatoses, especially oral lichen planus and genital LS.
authors.forename: Susanna K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Fistarol
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Itin
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001446:Balanitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008010:Lichen Planus / Q000188:drug therapy; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000188:drug therapy; D018459:Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D052016:Mucositis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010257:Paraneoplastic Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy; D010390:Pemphigoid, Benign Mucous Membrane / Q000188:drug therapy; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000188:drug therapy; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D014847:Vulvitis / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D002273:Carcinogens; C117268:pimecrolimus; D016559:Tacrolimus