Abstract:
Objective: This study aimed to assess the clinical efficiency
of Narrow Band-Ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy and methotrexate
(MTX) therapy and their effects on serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha
(TNF-α) in patients with cutaneous lichen planus (CLP).
Methods: The present cohort study was carried out on 60
patients with CLP who attended the Out-patient Clinics of the
Dermatology, Department, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, South
Valley University between May 2018 and December 2019.The included
patients were indiscriminately classified into two treatment groups;
group A (30 patients), received NB-UVB phototherapy for three months and
group B (30 patients), received MTX therapy for three months. All the
patients were assessed clinically and TNF-α before and after treatments.
Results: There were no statistically significant differences
between the two groups of treatment regard clinical improvement after
treatment (P=0.149). Regarding levels of TNF-α, there was a
statistically significant difference between the two treatment groups
after treatment (P=0.024). There was a statistically significant
reduction in TNF-α level after treatment in the MTX group.
Conclusion: This study concluded that NB-UVB phototherapy and
MTX therapy were clinically effective in the treatment of patients with
CLP. MTX therapy was more efficient in the reduction of TNF-α level than
NB-UVB phototherapy in patients with CLP.
Keywords: Lichen planus, Methotrexate, Narrow Band-Ultraviolet
B