Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

61 questions · 61 findings · 2 reviews · Oral medicine and oral cancer · All outcomes

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No studies found 4 · 6.6%GRADE not reported 22 · 36.1%Very low 22 · 36.1%Low 13 · 21.3%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%

Topical corticosteroids vs placebo

Clinical score · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

Topical corticosteroid showed no clear difference in clinical score compared with placebo (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
end of treatment
MD -0.38 [-0.89, 0.14]
1 study · 32 participants
Low

Topical corticosteroids vs placebo

Clinical resolution · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

It is very uncertain whether topical corticosteroid changes clinical resolution compared with placebo (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
8-9 weeks
RR 6.00 [0.76, 47.58]
2 studies · 72 participants
Very low

Topical corticosteroids vs placebo

Adverse effects · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

It is very uncertain whether topical corticosteroid changes adverse effects compared with placebo (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
3-9 weeks
RR 1.48 [0.48, 4.56]
3 studies · 88 participants
Very low

Topical corticosteroids vs placebo

Pain resolution · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

Topical corticosteroid may leads to higher pain resolution compared with placebo (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
8-9 weeks
RR 1.91 [1.08, 3.36]
2 studies · 72 participants
Low

Topical corticosteroids vs placebo

Pain (mean score, 0-10) · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

Topical corticosteroid may leads to lower pain (mean score, 0-10) compared with placebo (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
end of treatment
MD -1.81 [-3.54, -0.09]
1 study · 32 participants
Low

Betamethasone (systemic corticosteroid) vs Placebo or no treatment

Outcome not reported · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and clinical examination;…

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes
Table 1 (Systemic agents used in the management of aphthous stomatitis): 'Studies of these corticosteroids were not found or included in the review but are included here for completeness. They are not given orally for…
0 studies
No studies found

Hydrocortisone (systemic corticosteroid) vs Placebo or no treatment

Outcome not reported · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and clinical examination;…

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes
Table 1: 'Studies of these corticosteroids were not found or included in the review but are included here for completeness.' No trial of hydrocortisone for RAS was identified.
0 studies
No studies found

Beclometasone dipropionate (systemic corticosteroid) vs Placebo or no treatment

Outcome not reported · Participants with a previous or current history of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), diagnosed on history and clinical examination;…

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Systemic interventions for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (mouth ulcers) 2012 · Cochrane All outcomes
Table 1: 'Studies of these corticosteroids were not found or included in the review but are included here for completeness.' No trial of beclometasone dipropionate for RAS was identified.
0 studies
No studies found

Fluticasone propionate spray vs Betamethasone sodium phosphate mouthwash

Pain / clinical response (not analysable) · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
Hegarty 2002: cross-over data not suitable for quantitative analysis
1 study
GRADE not reported

Topical triamcinolone acetonide vs pimecrolimus 1%

Adverse effects · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

Topical triamcinolone acetonide showed no clear difference in adverse effects compared with topical pimecrolimus; GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
end of treatment
RR 0.21 [0.01, 4.10]
1 study · 35 participants
GRADE not reported

Clobetasol propionate plus miconazole (adjunctive antifungal) vs Clobetasol propionate plus placebo

Candidosis (adverse effect) · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
Lodi 2007: 5 cases of candidosis among 15 participants without antifungal vs 0 with adjunctive miconazole (low-certainty)
1 study · 35 participants
Low

Topical triamcinolone acetonide vs Topical tacrolimus

Adverse effects · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

Topical triamcinolone acetonide may leads to lower adverse effects compared with topical tacrolimus (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
3-8 weeks
RR 0.47 [0.22, 0.99]
2 studies · 58 participants
Low

Topical triamcinolone acetonide vs Topical curcumin

Pain (mean score) · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

Topical triamcinolone acetonide may leads to lower pain (mean score) compared with topical curcumin (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
MD -0.64 [-1.19, -0.10]
2 studies · 100 participants
Low

Topical clobetasol propionate vs Topical ciclosporin

Pain resolution · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

It is very uncertain whether topical clobetasol propionate changes pain resolution compared with topical ciclosporin (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
3-8 weeks
RR 2.11 [0.76, 5.86]
1 study · 39 participants
Very low

Topical clobetasol propionate vs Topical tacrolimus

Pain (mean VAS score) · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

Topical clobetasol propionate showed no clear difference in pain (mean VAS score) compared with topical tacrolimus; GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
end of treatment
MD 0.08 [-0.33, 0.49]
1 study · 68 participants
GRADE not reported

Topical clobetasol propionate vs Topical tacrolimus

Clinical resolution · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

It is very uncertain whether topical clobetasol propionate changes clinical resolution compared with topical tacrolimus (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
3-8 weeks
RR 0.61 [0.38, 0.99]
2 studies · 52 participants
Very low

Oral prednisone plus curcuminoids (adjunctive) vs Oral prednisone plus placebo

Reduction in pain · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
Chainani-Wu 2007: no difference between adjunctive curcuminoids and placebo (recruitment stopped after interim analysis)
1 study · 28 participants
GRADE not reported

Topical triamcinolone acetonide vs Intralesional BCG-polysaccharide nucleic acid (BCG-PSN)

Pain (mean score) · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

Topical triamcinolone acetonide showed no clear difference in pain (mean score) compared with intralesional BCG-polysaccharide nucleic acid (BCG-PSN); GRADE not reported.

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
MD 0.59 [-0.15, 1.33]
1 study · 53 participants
GRADE not reported

Topical betamethasone 0.1% gel vs pimecrolimus 1%

Pain / clinical response (not analysable) · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
Ezzatt 2019 (betamethasone 0.1% gel vs pimecrolimus 1% gel): effectiveness data not reported in a way that allowed quantitative analysis
1 study
GRADE not reported

Systemic (oral) betamethasone vs Topical triamcinolone acetonide paste

Clinical score · People with symptomatic, biopsy-confirmed oral lichen planus (OLP); not concurrently receiving other OLP treatment

It is very uncertain whether systemic (oral) betamethasone changes clinical score compared with topical triamcinolone acetonide paste (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for treating oral lichen planus: corticosteroid therapies 2020 · Cochrane All outcomes
MD 1.13 [0.09, 2.17]
1 study · 46 participants
Very low