| Abstract | In this study, we measured the baseline serum levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in 158 patients with oral lichen planus (OLP) and in 54 normal control subjects. In total, 60 patients with erosive OLP (EOLP) with relatively high TNF-alpha levels were treated with levamisole and the serum TNF-alpha levels measured after treatment. We found that the mean +/- SD serum level of TNF-alpha in patients with either type of EOLP (12.0 +/- 1.7 pg/mL, P<0.005), major EOLP (15.5 +/- 4.4 pg/mL, P<0.001), minor EOLP (11.1 +/- 1.8 pg/mL, P<0.01), or nonerosive OLP (6.1 +/- 1.7 pg/mL, P<0.05) was significantly higher than that (3.8 +/- 0.2 pg/mL) of normal control subjects. Treatment with levamisole for a period of 0.5-7.5 months significantly reduced the mean serum TNF-alpha level from 22.6 +/- 3.4 pg/mL to 6.2 +/- 0.8 pg/mL (P<0.001) in 60 patients with EOLP. We conclude that levamisole can reduce high serum TNF-alpha levels to normal in patients with EOLP. |
| Authors | A Sun, J S Chia, J T Wang, C P Chiang
(Affiliation: School of Dentistry, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.)
|
| Journal | Clinical and experimental dermatology
(Clin Exp Dermatol)
Vol. 32
Issue 3
Pg. 308-10
(May 2007)
ISSN: 0307-6938 England |
| PMID | 17397355
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
|
| Chemical References |
- Adjuvants, Immunologic
- Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
- Levamisole
|
| Topics |
- Adjuvants, Immunologic
(therapeutic use)
- Humans
- Levamisole
(therapeutic use)
- Lichen Planus, Oral
(blood, drug therapy)
- Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
(blood)
|
