title: Successful treatment of nail lichen planus with alitretinoin: report of 2 cases and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment of nail lichen planus (LP) is difficult and an optimal therapy is lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report additional cases to the scant existing literature to learn more about therapeutic options for nail LP.
  
  
  METHODS
  A regimen of 30 mg alitretinoin daily in 2 cases of nail LP over a period of 9 and 8 months, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In either case, nail changes showed marked improvement under oral alitretinoin therapy within 2 and 4 months, respectively. In both patients, affected nails with end-stage destructive pterygium were resistant to any previously applied therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alitretinoin is an effective treatment option for nail LP. We recommend early diagnosis of nail LP and early initiation of systemic therapy with alitretinoin to prevent the development of pterygium and permanent nail damage. However, further clinical studies are needed to establish reliable guidelines for nail LP therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Adel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alsenaid
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Eder
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruzicka
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Braun-Falco
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D000077556:Alitretinoin; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers; D006801:Humans; D008010:Lichen Planus / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009264:Nails, Malformed / Q000209:etiology; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000077556:Alitretinoin; D014212:Tretinoin