Efficacy of Apremilast in Patients with Moderate to Severe Lichen Planus
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70749/ijbr.v3i5.2712Keywords:
Lichen Planus, Apremilast, PGA Score, Chronic Inflammatory Dermatoses, Treatment EfficacyAbstract
Background: Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disorder that can be difficult to manage, especially in moderate to severe cases unresponsive to topical therapies. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Apremilast in patients with moderate to severe lichen planus. Methods: This descriptive case study was conducted in the Department of Dermatology, AIMC/Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, from 7 August 2024 to 7 February 2025 and included 72 patients aged 18–70 years with clinically diagnosed moderate to severe LP refractory to topical corticosteroids. Patients were prescribed Apremilast 20 mg orally twice daily for 12 weeks. Baseline characteristics were recorded, and treatment response was assessed using Physician Global Assessment (PGA) scores. Results: Out of the 72 enrolled patients, 39 (54.2%) were male and 33 (45.8%) were female, with a mean age of 42.6 ± 11.3 years. A ≥2-grade improvement in PGA was observed in 47 patients (65.3%) after 12 weeks of therapy. Patients with moderate disease showed a better response than those with severe disease (73.1% vs. 54.8%, p = 0.04). No significant associations were found between treatment efficacy and gender, duration of symptoms, prior therapy, or BMI. Adverse effects were mild and transient, with gastrointestinal discomfort (16.7%) and headache (8.3%) being the most common. Conclusion: It is concluded that Apremilast is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for moderate to severe lichen planus, offering significant clinical improvement with minimal adverse effects.
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