ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Lichen planus is a chronic papulosquamous disease characterized by various clinical manifestations of the skin, mucosa, hair, and nails. Various drugs or physical treatments for lichen planus have been proposed, but the efficacies are often disappointing and controversial. Linear lichen planus is a rare variant of lichen planus, which accounts for 0.2~0.6% of all patients with lichen planus. Systemic corticosteroids remain the most widely used treatment for lichen planus. However, there have been no clinical studies on the effectiveness of this therapy on linear lichen planus despite the fact that linear lichen planus usually lasts for more than 1 year and occasionally results in cosmetic problems. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of oral methylprednisolone therapy for linear lichen planus. METHODS: Retrospective study was performed by reviewing the medical records and clinical photographs of 12 linear lichen planus patients treated with oral methylprednisolone. The analyses of treatment response to oral methylprednisolone therapy, adverse effects, and recurrence were performed. RESULTS: All the 12 patients who completed the oral methylprednisolone therapy achieved complete response. Most patients showed a marked improvement 1 to 2 weeks after starting oral methylprednisolone therapy. Three of the 12 patients showed recurrence at 9 to 14 weeks after cessation of the treatment. Oral methylprednisolone therapy was generally well-tolerated and no serious adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSION: Oral methylprednisolone therapy is an efficacious, safe, and tolerable treatment modality for linear lichen planus.