[Treatment of generalized cutaneous lichen planus with dipropionate and betamethasone disodium phosphate: an open study of 73 cases].

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of treatment of generalized cutaneous lichen planus using dipropionate and betamethasone disodium phosphate.

PATIENTS AND METHOD:

A prospective study was conducted among patients presenting generalized cutaneous lichen planus consulting a dermatology service of Lomé teaching hospital in Togo (September 2003 to August 2005). Each patient included in our study reveived three injections of dipropionate and betamethasone disodium phosphate every 2 weeks. Evaluation was done at 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months.

RESULTS:

73 cases of generalized cutaneous lichen planus were included in our study. The sex-ratio (H/F) was 0.7. The average age of patients was 29.5 +/- 11.9 years. At six weeks: complete remission was 83.6% (61 cases) and partial remission was 8.2% with a failure rate of 8.2%. At 3 months, persistent complete remission was 58.9% vs. 23.3% relapse. At 6 months, relapse was 31.5%. No major side-effects were reported among our patients during the study period.

DISCUSSION:

The study results suggest that dipropionate and betamethasone disodium phosphate may constitute an alternative therapeutic approach in generalized cutaneous lichen planus. However these results require confirmation by a randomized trial over a longer period.

• Authors: P Pitche, B Saka, K Kombate, K Tchangai-Walla
• Journal: Annales de dermatologie et de venereologie (Ann Dermatol Venereol) Vol. 134 Issue 3 Pt 1 Pg. 237-40 (Mar 2007) ISSN: 0151-9638 [Print] France
• Vernacular Title: Traitement du lichen cutané étendu par le dipropionate et phosphate disodique de bétaméthasone: étude ouverte de 73 cas.
• PMID: 17389847 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Glucocorticoids
• betamethasone sodium phosphate
• Betamethasone

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Betamethasone (analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Glucocorticoids (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Lichen Planus (drug therapy)
• Male
• Recurrence
• Treatment Outcome