Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory mucosal disease that cell-mediated immunological mechanisms are involved in pathogenesis. The objective of this study was to investigate the expression of CD44 isoforms including CD44s, CD44v5, and CD44v6 in biopsy specimens and saliva from OLP patients. Thirty-one OLP patients and 30 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Immunohistochemical methods were used to detect the expression of CD44 isoforms in oral epithelia, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to measure levels of salivary CD44 isoforms. Our results demonstrated that expression of CD44v6 in oral epithelia from OLP patients was significantly decreased in comparison to controls (p = 0.021). Levels of salivary CD44s and CD44v5 from OLP patients were significantly higher than those from controls (p = 0.007 and p = 0.002, respectively). In summary, our findings provided additional evidence that the pathological stress, such as chronic inflammation, altered the expression of CD44 isoforms in oral epithelia and saliva of OLP patients.

Subjective patient’s symptoms and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) are recommended to be involved in oral lichen planus (OLP) studies. This study aims to assess the OHRQoL of OLP patients, and their associations with pain and OLP in Thai patients. Sixty-nine patients were interviewed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for pain perception and Oral Impacts on Daily Performance (OIDP) index. OLP signs examined included localization, types, number of affected sides and clinical severity using the Thongprasom sign scoring system. There were significant associations (rs = 0.490, p < 0.001) between clinical severity and the intensity of oral impacts as well as pain (rs = 0.298, p = 0.013). The intensity of oral impacts and pain increased according to the increasing OLP clinical severity, except for the white striae lesions (Thongprasom sign score 1). The erosive/ulcerative OLP lesions (Thongprasom sign scores 4 and 5) were the most painful symptom and had the highest degree of oral impacts (p < 0.001). No significant associations were found between the number of affected lesion sides and OHRQoL (p = 0.316) and pain (p = 0.284). OHRQoL was associated with OLP type and clinical severity but not with the number of affected sides.

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of trehalose oral spray to relieve radiation-induced xerostomia on a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Methods Prior to RCT, the effect of trehalose (5–20%) on the epithelial growth of fetal mouse salivary gland (SG) explants was evaluated to confirm if 10% trehalose exerted the best epithelial outcomes. Participants who completed radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment were enrolled in a double-blind RCT, according to inclusion and exclusion criteria as per the CONSORT statement. The experimental group (n = 35) received 10% trehalose spray, while the control group (n = 35) received carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) spray to apply intra-orally 4 times/day for 14 days. Salivary pH and volume were recorded pre- and post-interventions. The Xerostomia-related Quality of Life scale (XeQoLs) was filled, and scores assessed post-interventions. Results In the SG explant model, pro-acinar epithelial growth and mitosis was supported by 10% topical trehalose. As for RCT outcomes, salivary pH and volume were significantly improved after use of 10% trehalose spray when compared to CMC (p < 0.05). Participants reported an improvement of XeQoLs dimension scores after using trehalose or CMC oral sprays in terms of physical, pain/discomfort, and psychological dimensions (p < 0.05), but not social (p > 0.05). When comparing between CMC and trehalose sprays, XeQoLs total scores were not statistically different (p > 0.05). Conclusions The 10% trehalose spray improved salivary pH, saliva volume, and the quality-of-life dimensions linked with physical, pain/discomfort, and psychological signs; therefore, this oral formulation can be used alternatively to CMC. (Thai Clinical Trials Registry; https://www.thaiclinicaltrials.org/ TCTR20190817004)

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of trehalose oral spray to relieve radiation-induced xerostomia on a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Methods Prior to RCT, the effect of trehalose (5–20%) on the epithelial growth of fetal mouse salivary gland (SG) explants was evaluated to confirm if 10% trehalose exerted the best epithelial outcomes. Participants who completed radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment were enrolled in a double-blind RCT, according to inclusion and exclusion criteria as per the CONSORT statement. The experimental group (n = 35) received 10% trehalose spray, while the control group (n = 35) received carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) spray to apply intra-orally 4 times/day for 14 days. Salivary pH and unstimulated salivary flow rate were recorded pre- and post-interventions. The Xerostomia-related Quality of Life scale (XeQoLs) was filled, and scores assessed post-interventions. Results In the SG explant model, pro-acinar epithelial growth and mitosis was supported by 10% topical trehalose. As for RCT outcomes, salivary pH and unstimulated salivary flow rate were significantly improved after use of 10% trehalose spray when compared to CMC (p < 0.05). Participants reported an improvement of XeQoLs dimension scores after using trehalose or CMC oral sprays in terms of physical, pain/discomfort, and psychological dimensions (p < 0.05), but not social (p > 0.05). When comparing between CMC and trehalose sprays, XeQoLs total scores were not statistically different (p > 0.05). Conclusions The 10% trehalose spray improved salivary pH, unstimulated salivary flow rate, and the quality-of-life dimensions linked with physical, pain/discomfort, and psychological signs. The clinical efficacy of 10% trehalose spray was equivalent with CMC-based saliva substitutes for relieving radiation-induced xerostomia; therefore, trehalose may be suggested in alternative to CMC-based oral spray.(Thai Clinical Trials Registry; https://www.thaiclinicaltrials.org/ TCTR20190817004).

Background Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the oral cavity that affects many patients’ daily living activities. The goal of treating OLP is to relieve symptomatic pain, and reduce inflammation. Topical corticosteroids are the first-line drug for treating OLP. OLP clinical trials should use a tripartite approach comprising clinical signs, symptoms, and quality of life. The Oral Impact on Daily Performances index (OIDP) is an Oral-Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) measure developed to assess the ultimate impacts. The aims of this study were to evaluate the clinical, pain and OHRQoL responses after treating OLP patients with topical corticosteroids for 1 month, and secondly to assess the relationships of changes in the clinical sign score, pain score, and OHRQoL. Methods Seventy-two OLP patients were recruited to assess their clinical outcomes and patient-based outcomes after treating them with topical corticosteroids for 1 month. The clinical outcomes were evaluated by the highest and total Thongprasom sign score. The patient-based outcomes were evaluated by a pain rating scale using a numeric rating scale (NRS), and OIDP. The self-rated overall changes in quality of life during the 1-month treatment period using the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) were also recorded at the follow-up visit. Results This study comprised 59 women (81.9%) and 13 men (18.1%). The total OIDP percentage score was 19.1 ± 10.5 at baseline. The most commonly affected activities were Emotional stability (94.4%), followed by Eating (86.1%) and Cleaning the oral cavity (65.3%). At the 1-month follow-up visit, the highest Thongprasom sign score, total Thongprasom sign score, pain score and total OIDP percentage score were significantly reduced after treatment with topical corticosteroids (P < 0.01). None of the patients reported a lower quality of life. Forty-six percent reported the same or up to moderately improved, while 54% had a greatly improved quality of life as assessed by PGIC. There were no significant differences in the improvement of clinical and patient-based outcomes between these outcome groups. There were significant relationships between the difference in the highest Thongprasom sign score and the difference in total Thongprasom sign score (r = 0.293; P < 0.05), and the differences in total OIDP percentage score and the difference in pain score (r = 0.427; P < 0.001). The differences in the total Thongprasom sign score also significantly related to the difference in the total OIDP percentage score (r = 0.335; P < 0.01). However, no significant relationship was found between the difference in the highest Thongprasom sign score and the difference in patient-based outcomes. Conclusion Topical corticosteroids were significantly effective after 1-month treatment of OLP based on the clinical and patient-based outcomes. The OHRQoL improvement was significantly related to the reductions in pain and clinical severity. Trial registration The trial was registered at the Thai Clinical Trials Registry (TCTR identifier: TCTR 20221110001).