Tratamento do líquen plano oral recalcitrante com tacrolimo 0,1 %

Abstract

The oral lichen planus (OLP) has been considered a chronic-course auto immune inflammatory disease and its presence may be related to increased emotional stress. The clinical relevance of OLP is the possibility, in developing a squamous cell carcinoma which its etiology is still obscure and unknown. The aim of the present study is to treat OLP lesions that were recalcitrant to conventional treatment with corticosteroids, using topical Tacrolimus 0.1% (Protopic®), applied twice a day, for a period of eight weeks. Fifteen patients were selected who had filled out a history form and a visual scale for pain before and after treatment. All patients were submitted to an initial biopsy for the diagnosis of the disease and another one at the end to evaluate the effect of medication on the infiltrate. A weekly control was carried out, observing the clinical aspects, painful symptoms and the occurrence of side effects which, where present, were mild and transient. The results showed twelve patients (80%) with total or nearly total remission of painful symptoms and lesions, two patients (13.33%) showed the clearer lesions and only one patient (6.67%) did not obtain any change in clinical symptoms and pain. Throught the analysis of the histopathological features regression of OLP, if could be noticed a moderate or accented regression in twelve patients (80%) and an absent or mild regression in three patients (20%). Based on the our results, it was possible to conclude that the Tacrolimus 0.1% (Protopic®)is a safe and effective medication that improves the clinical aspect of the injury, reduces the painful symptoms and reduces the histopathological features of the OLP.