Efficacy of Intralesional Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Polysaccharide Nucleic Acid and Vitamin D Injections in the Treatment of Lichen Planus.

BACKGROUND

Lichen planus is a multifactorial chronic inflammatory disease with diverse clinical manifestations involving the skin, hair, nails, and mucous membranes.

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated the clinical efficacy and adverse effects of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin polysaccharide nucleic acid (BCG-PSN) injection, vitamin D injection, and the combination of both in the treatment of different types of lichen planus.

METHODS

Thirty patients ranging in age from 12 to 70 years with clinically diagnosed lichen planus were enrolled in this study and divided into three groups according to treatment regimen.

RESULTS

A partial therapeutic response in three patients and no improvement in seven patients were achieved in the intramuscular vitamin D injection group. Meanwhile, the intralesional injection of BCG-PSN was associated with complete response in three patients, partial response in three patients, and no response in four patients. The combination of both intralesional injection of BCG-PSN and intramuscular injection of vitamin D was associated with complete response in two patients, partial response in four patients, and no response in four patients.

CONCLUSION

BCG-PSN alone appears to be efficacious in the treatment of lichen planus, and vitamin D in combination with BCG-PSN had no effect on cutaneous lichen planus.