title: Efficacy of steroidal vs non-steroidal agents in oral lichen planus: a randomised, open-label study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study compared the therapeutic efficacy of steroidal and non-steroidal agents for treating oral lichen planus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients with clinical and/or histologically proven oral lichen planus were randomly placed into four groups and treated with topical triamcinolone, oral dapsone, topical tacrolimus or topical retinoid for three months. Pre- and post-treatment symptoms and signs were scored for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in all treatment groups showed significant clinical improvement after three months (p 0.05) and for topical retinoid vs topical tacrolimus (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-steroidal drugs such as dapsone, tacrolimus and retinoid are as efficacious as steroidal drugs for treating oral lichen planus, and avoid the side effects associated with steroids.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Head & Neck Surgery,Moti Lal Nehru Medical College,Allahabad,India.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Head & Neck Surgery,Moti Lal Nehru Medical College,Allahabad,India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rai
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Head & Neck Surgery,Moti Lal Nehru Medical College,Allahabad,India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aftab
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Head & Neck Surgery,Moti Lal Nehru Medical College,Allahabad,India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Head & Neck Surgery,Moti Lal Nehru Medical College,Allahabad,India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003622:Dapsone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D012176:Retinoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014221:Triamcinolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D012176:Retinoids; D014221:Triamcinolone; D003622:Dapsone; D016559:Tacrolimus
keywords: Dapsone; Lichen Planus; Oral; Retinoids; Tacrolimus; Triamcinolone