THALIDOMIDE AND RECURRENT APHTHOUS STOMATITIS - A FOLLOW-UP-STUDY

Background: Thalidomide is used for the symptomatic treatment of recur rent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), Some authors reported remissions, but this was not evaluated. Objective: To evaluate the number of patients who could stop or reduce thalidomide treatment. Methods: Twenty-five p atients with RAS treated with thalidomide and followed during at least 1 year were retrospectively studied, Results: Six patients could stop the treatment and further presented minor aphthae, 10 needed minimal daily doses of thalidomide and 7 did not respond to 100 mg daily, One patient was not evaluated because of an early side effect and one was lost to follow-up, Conclusion: This study showed that a minority of pa tients responded and could stop thalidomide therapy whereas: another g roup of patients could be maintained in remission with low doses of th alidomide which may represent a means to reduce the potentially severe side effects.