title: Interventions for the management of oral lichen planus: a review of the conventional and novel therapies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This narrative review focuses on the rationale and role of conventional and newer therapies in the management of oral lichen planus (OLP) with emphasis on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reported over two decades.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature search was conducted to identify RCTs for the management of OLP from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 2015; Medline and Cochrane databases complemented with manual search were used. Primary outcome as resolution of pain was evaluated with the analysis of clinical resolution of erythema and ulceration as secondary outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The search provided 260 abstracts, of which 70 full-text articles were included. Majority of trials used topical steroids with very few trials on newer therapies. It was found that topical steroids are effective for symptomatic management of OLP with equal efficacy shown by topical calcineurin inhibitors and retinoids. However, the side effect of transient burning sensation with relapse was more with calcineurin inhibitors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the newer therapies offer advantage over steroids for the management of OLP in recalcitrant cases, extensive lesions, and cases unresponsive to steroids, but sufficient clinical data on their use are still lacking. Hence, more RCTs with large sample size, adequate treatment duration, and long-term follow-up are required for clinical utility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine & Radiology, Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8176-5811
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine & Radiology, Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine & Radiology, Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D001688:Biological Products / Q000627:therapeutic use; D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012176:Retinoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013256:Steroids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D065095:Calcineurin Inhibitors; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D012176:Retinoids; D013256:Steroids
keywords: intervention; lichen; management; oral lichen planus; planus