Role of biologics in refractory recurrent aphthous stomatitis

Abstract

Refractory recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RRAS) manifests as severe ulcerative lesions of the oral mucosa with poor healing and a poor response to conventional therapy, with or without systemic diseases. Its treatment remains a clinical challenge owing to the lack of effective therapies. Recently, biologics have emerged as promising targeted therapies for RRAS. The biologics targeting specific inflammatory pathways involved in the pathogenesis of RRAS, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors and interleukin inhibitors, offer a more precise and promising therapeutic approach for RRAS. These targeted therapies have been shown to promote healing and decrease recurrence frequency in, and improve the quality of life of patients with RRAS. Herein, the types and mechanisms of biologics currently used to treat RRAS have been reviewed; furthermore, the dose, duration, therapeutic efficacy, and adverse effects of RRAS with or without certain associated systemic diseases, and the current problems and future directions have been discussed.

Assessing the thyroid autoimmunity association with recurrent aphthous stomatitis

“…According to the results of the study, patients with ATD were 1.93 times more likely to have RAS than healthy controls. Although the initiating cause and etiology of RAS are not clear, there are some studies on the coexistence of RAS and autoimmune diseases [ 11 – 13 ]. In a cohort study of a sample population of 1 million, Lee et al, concluded that RAS - like lesions may be an early sign of autoimmune diseases, as they were associated with an increased risk of systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, ankylosing spondylitis, and Behçet’s disease [ 13 ].…”