Comparison of the effect of photodynamic therapy and topical corticosteroid on oral lichen planus lesions

Abstract

Objective: In this study, the effect of photodynamic therapy with topical corticosteroid in oral lichen planus patients was compared.

Material and methods: In this randomized, double-blind clinical trial, eight patients with bilateral oral OLP lesions were recruited. Toluidine blue was applied on the lesions of both sides; a 660-nm diode laser InGaAlP was irradiated for 10 min (power: 25 mW, fluence: 19.23 J/cm² , probe cross section: 0.78 cm² ) for three sessions. In the control side of the oral mucosa, only sham laser was used. Follow-up sessions were held on weeks 3 and 7. In week 3, oral paste triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% was prescribed. Response rates were assessed clinically by VAS, Thongprasom sign scoring, clinical severity index, efficacy indices, and the amount of reduction in the size of the lesions. The Mann-Whitney test was used to evaluate the treatment outcomes.

Results: In spite of the control side, all scores improved significantly between sessions 0 and 4 for the intervention side. The differences between the changes in almost all scores between sessions 0 and 4 in both the intervention and control sides were significantly considerable (p value < .05).

Conclusion: Photodynamic therapy can be used as an alternative therapy alongside standard methods or as a new modality for refractory OLP.

Keywords: low-level laser; oral lichen planus; photodynamic therapy; toluidine blue.