Effects of Direct-Acting Antivirals in Patients with Oral Lichen Planus and Hepatitis C Virus: A Systematic Analysis of Clinical Studies

Abstract

Background: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with T-cell-mediated immunological dysfunction. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been related to OLP. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the efficiency of direct-acting antivirals (DAA) in patients with HCV on the oral lichen planus. Methods: This systematic review was conducted under the recommendations of Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and the PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched up to 30 December 2022. Specific keywords were used to search the electronic databases. Titles and abstracts were firstly screened for eligibility. Then, full-text articles for eligible studies were examined. In the end, studies which respected the inclusion criteria were considered. Risk of bias was assessed according to The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology Statement (STROBE). Results: Types of OLP presented were erosive, reticular or mixed. OLP localization was on buccal mucosa (uni/bilateral), sublingual mucosa, tongue, or lower lip. At 24 weeks, most of the patients showed OLP disappearance with no adverse events; only 1 patient developed oral squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. HCV elimination via DAA therapy improved also OLP present in those patients and reduced the periodontal pathogens. Conclusions: The use of DAA in patients with HCV and OLP might be a promising treatment in both diseases without using an adjuvant therapy.