Efficacy of Ibuprofen Gargle for Oral Lichen Planus: A Single-Center, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Randomized Crossover Study Trial.

PURPOSE: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic, refractory type of stomatitis characterized by abnormal keratinization and often accompanied by pain. The best treatment for OLP, particularly for pain management, remains unclear. This study focuses on the short-term efficacy of ibuprofen gargle for pain relief in patients with OLP.

METHODS

In this crossover study, 24 patients with painful OLP were enrolled. One group received an ibuprofen gargle (0.6%) on days one and three to five and a placebo on day two. The other group received a placebo on day one and ibuprofen on days two to five. The primary outcome was the change in pain level, measured by a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) before and after gargling on days one and two. Additionally, changes in each domain of the Patient-Reported Oral Mucositis Symptom (PROMS) scale were evaluated from days one to five.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in the degree of reduction in pain VAS values between the ibuprofen and placebo groups before and five and 15 minutes after use of the gargle. However, the PROMS scale showed a significant reduction in dietary restrictions (p = 0.032) in favor of the ibuprofen gargle compared to baseline.

CONCLUSION

Ibuprofen gargle may help alleviate dietary restrictions associated with oral intake in patients with OLP who experience pain.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered with the Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCT) (jRCTs051220009).