Clinical Effects of 0.1% Tacrolimus Ointment for the Treatment of Lichen Striatus / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Lichen striatus (LS) is a rare disorder that's characterized by a distinctive linear distribution of papules. There are many reports suggesting that LS is a T cell-mediated inflammatory skin disease. Tacrolimus ointment is a topical immunomodulator that inhibits the production of inflammatory cytokines in T cells. Preliminary studies have suggested that the topical application of tacrolimus is effective for the treatment of lichen striatus. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 0.1% tacrolimus ointment for treating LS patients. METHODS: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of 0.1% tacrolimus ointment applied twice daily for treating 15 biopsy-proven LS patients. The therapeutic effects were evaluated after 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 weeks according to 3 grades NR (no response, 50% improvement), CR (complete remission). RESULTS: Of the 15 LS patients, 13 patients (87%) showed either a CR (53%) or a PR (33%) after 12 weeks and a CR (67%) or a PR (20%) after 24 weeks. The median time to a CR was 11 weeks (range 2~24 weeks). Transient burning and itching on the application site were the most common adverse effects. The occurrence of these symptoms decreased after the first few days of treatment. There was no increased incidence of other significant adverse events. CONCLUSION: This study showed that 0.1% tacrolimus ointment could be an effective and safe treatment modality to shorten the remission period for LS.