title: Successful Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus-associated Oral Lichen Planus by Interferon-free Therapy with Direct-acting Antivirals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oral lichen planus (OLP) is one of the extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Presently developed interferon (IFN)-free direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) used to treat HCV infection have low side effect profiles and high efficacy. However, there are no studies examining the relationship between OLP and IFN-free DAAs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the disease course in patients with HCV-associated OLP, who received treatment with IFN-free DAAs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven patients with HCV-related OLP (including one with cutaneous LP), who received IFN-free treatment with daclatasvir (DCV)/asunaprevir (ASV) at our hospital in Japan from October, 2014 to February, 2015 were enrolled in the study. The subjects included four males and three females (average age, 73.9 years). We compared the symptoms of OLP in the patients before and at 24 weeks after the end of DAA therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No worsening of symptoms was observed during treatment with the DAAs. The symptoms of OLP had subsided in all seven patients. Lesions of OLP and cutaneous LP disappeared in four, and improved in three of the seven patients after sustained virological response 24. No systemic clinical adverse events were observed in all patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Herein, we have reported the outcomes of HCV-associated OLP in patients who received successful treatment with IFN-free DAAs, using the DCV/ASV combination therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organ System Interactions and Information, Saga Medical School, Saga, Japan.|Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University School of Medicine, Asahi-machi, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagao
authors.affiliation: Department of Organ System Interactions and Information, Saga Medical School, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Kanae
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Organ System Interactions and Information, Saga Medical School, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawahigashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Organ System Interactions and Information, Saga Medical School, Saga, Japan.|Research Center for Innovative Cancer Therapy, Kurume University School of Medicine, Asahi-machi, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan.|Nishinihon Hospital, Hattannda, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sata