Comparison of Efficacy of Combination Therapy (Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) and Topical Steroid) with Topical Steroid Therapy only in Patients with Symptomatic Oral Lichen Planus – In vivo Study

Abstract

Aim: To compare the efficacy of combination therapy (low level laser therapy [LLLT] and topical steroids) with topical steroid therapy alone in individuals with symptomatic oral lichen planus. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 30 patients who reported to our department with clinically and histologically proven symptomatic oral lichen planus (OLP). All the patients were assessed for the criteria of outcome—pain, burning sensation, size of the lesion, clinical resolution, and recurrence. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups each comprising of 15 patients. Group I (study group) patients received a combination of topical steroid and LLLT while Group II (control group) patients received only topical steroid therapy. Results: A significant pain and burning sensation reduction were found in the patients who were given LLLT (P: 0.05). There was a decrease in the size of the lesion which was statistically significant. A complete clinical resolution was achieved and only 11% recurrence occurred in the study group. This therapy appears to be effective in patients with symptomatic OLP. Conclusion: The LLLT therapy appears to be useful in relieving pain and burning sensation, reduction in the size of the lesion, with complete clinical resolution and minimal recurrence, and hence, can be considered as a valuable aid in managing symptomatic OLP. Thus, the LLLT therapy serves as a potent and independent therapeutic modality in symptomatic OLP.

Photobiomodulation Therapy in the Management of Oral Lichen Planus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Dillenburg et al have reported that PBMT is a more effective intervention for the treatment of OLP. 21 These findings are also supported by Jain et al, and Bhatt et al 26,27 On the other hand, Photobiomodulation Therapy in the Management of Oral Lichen Planus Kang et al five other trials have reported that PBMT is less effective than control interventions in improving pain scores. [22][23][24][25]28 Hence, the pooled analysis could not specify the superiority of one treatment over the other.…”

“…The studies were published in the English language between 2011 and 2022. Two of the studies were from India, 26 27 one from Egypt, 23 two from Brazil, 21 28 one from Iran, 25 one from Saudi Arabia, 22 and one from Turkey. 24 The number of randomized participants in the included studies ranged from 24 to 120.…”

“…The mean age of participants was 52.04 ± 6.55. Among the included studies, four studies used diode laser, 22 23 25 26 three studies used gallium-aluminum-arsenide laser (GaAlAs) 24 27 28 and one studies used aluminum-gallium- indium-phosphide laser (InGaAlP). 21 The control interventions tested were corticosteroids in five trials and photodynamic therapy, ozone therapy, and aloe vera each in single trial.…”

“…A total of eight studies were included for the qualitative synthesis with an enrolment of 317 patients with OLP. [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28] Among these, seven studies were RCTs, while one was a casecontrol observational study. The studies were published in the English language between 2011 and 2022.…”

“…Seven of the included articles were RCTs. 21,22,[24][25][26][27][28] The risk of bias was evaluated with the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. 17 All studies had carried out proper sequence generation.…”