Efficacy of hyaluronic acid in oral lichen planus
The efficacy of topical hyaluronic acid in the management of oral lichen planus
Article specifications
This randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind clinical study was published in 2009 in Journal of Oral Pathology & Medicine (IF 2016:2.043) by British specialists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a topical hyaluronic acid (HA) gel preparation (0.2%) in the management of oral lichen planus (OLP). A total of 124 patients with erosive OLP participated in this trial to evaluate the efficacy of a topical HA preparation. Outcome measures included soreness relief following immediate application, oral function and size of erosive ⁄ ulcerative area. Patients were medicated for 28 days and completed a log diary recording oral function and soreness scores. A total of 124 patients with erosive OLP participated in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind trial to evaluate the efficacy of a topical HA preparation. Outcome measures included soreness relief following immediate application, oral function and size of erosive ⁄ ulcerative area. Patients were medicated for 28 days and completed a log diary recording oral function and soreness scores.
Results
Application of topical HA produced a significant reduction in soreness scores when compared with placebo for up to 4 h post-application. There was no difference between treatment groups with respect to oral function. Patients treated with 0.2% HA showed a significant reduction in the size of the erosive ⁄ ulcerated area after 28 days of treatment when compared with baseline. There was no significant difference in changes in ulcerative areas between treatment groups. Topical HA (0.2%) does appear to be of some benefit in the management of erosive lichen planus providing efficacy for up to 4 h after administration. Very frequent applications should be considered to obtain a more significant clinical benefit. Topical HA gel may be a useful addition to the treatment option for OLP.