Oral Lichen Planus in IBD Patients: A Paradoxical Adverse Effect of Anti-TNF-α Therapy.
OBJECTIVE
The efficacy of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors in the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is well established. Many cutaneous and mucosal lesions have been described under anti-TNF-α therapy, some of them being considered as paradoxical. In this series we aimed to review the cases of oral lichen planus (OLP) in IBD patients under treatment with anti-TNF-α agents.


METHODS
Histologic findings from oral lesions of IBD patients treated with anti-TNF were revised.


RESULTS
Three female patients with IBD developed oral lichen planus (OLP) after starting anti-TNF-α therapy. Other etiologies were excluded.


CONCLUSIONS
In light of the increasing use of TNF-α inhibitors the occurrence of OLP is a potentially emerging side effect, thus we recommend a careful monitoring for oral manifestations in IBD patients treated with anti-TNF-α agents.
Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Alameda Prof. Hernani Monteiro, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal, anapatriciarandrade@gmail.com.
Patrícia
P
Andrade
Susana
S
Lopes
Andreia
A
Albuquerque
Filipa
F
Osório
Joana
J
Pardal
Guilherme
G
Macedo
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069285:Infliximab; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab