Topical sulfasalazine for unresponsive oral lichen planus.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of topical sulfasalazine in the treatment of oral lichen planus (OLP) resistant to corticosteroid therapy.


METHODS
Twenty-one unresponsive OLP patients were treated with topical sulfasalazine 3 times a day for 4 weeks. Each patient's symptoms and lesion size were evaluated at the beginning of therapy, and then after 4 weeks to determine the efficacy of topical sulfasalazine. Inflammatory cytokines levels in saliva were measured by ELISA.


RESULTS
Seventeen patients (81%) reported improvement of discomfort and 12 patients (57%) had lesions decrease in size over 50%. Patients who had higher levels of IL-1β and IL-8 were more responsive to topical sulfasalazine therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Topical sulfasalazine should be considered when OLP does not respond to corticosteroid therapy. Furthermore, high concentrations of IL-1β and IL-8 in the saliva are useful indicators for the application of topical sulfasalazine in OLP patients refractory to steroid treatment.
Sung-Hee
SH
Jeong
Hee-Sam
HS
Na
Su-Hyeon
SH
Park
Yong-Woo
YW
Ahn
Jin
J
Chung
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D012460:Sulfasalazine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D012460:Sulfasalazine