Topical Tacrolimus in the Treatment of Lichen Planus in a Child

Abstract

Lichen planus is a relatively common mucocutaneous disease in adult patients, but it is more rare in children. Topical corticosteroids are the first line of treatment in most pediatric patients with a localized classic form of lichen planus. We report the case of a child with cutaneous lichen planus who did not respond to topical steroids but showed complete resolution once switched to 0.03% tacrolimus ointment.

Clinicopathological characteristics of lichen planus pigmentosus and its response to tacrolimus ointment: an open label, non‐randomized, prospective study

“…There are few reports 21–23 on successful use of topical tacrolimus in LP, especially oral LP, and there is a single report 24 on failure of topical tacrolimus in LPP. One reason for the failure of tacrolimus could be that the authors had used it only for 4 weeks.…”

Successful Treatment of Nail Lichen Planus with Topical Tacrolimus

“…Topical tacrolimus has been reported as a safe, effective therapy for cutaneous (5,6), oral (7-9) and vulvar lichen planus (LP) (9)(10)(11), even in patients whose lesions have shown recalcitrance to other treatments (7,10). However, topical tacrolimus treatment for NLP has never been reported.…”

Lichen planus in children

“…Oral agents that can be used for mucosal LP are systemic glucocorticoids, griseofulvin, hydroxychloroquine, azathioprine and mycophenolate mofetil. Intraleisonal triamcinolone may be used [29] Short courses of systemic steroids have been found to be effective in widespread eruptive disease, given at a dose of 1-2 mg/kg/day for one-two weeks and then weaned. [30,31] Nanda et al has observed that UVB phototherapy is safe and effective in children with acute widespread LP.…”