Comparison of triamcinolone with pentoxifylline and vitamin E efficacy in the treatment of stage 2 and 3 oral submucous fibrosis: A randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of triamcinolone in combination with pentoxifylline and vitamin E in the treatment of patients with level two and three oral submucous fibrosis. Methods: The study aimed to compare the efficacy of corticosteroid injections (triamcinolone) versus pentoxifylline and vitamin E in the therapy of patients with stage two and three oral submucous fibrosis. A total of 42 participants with indications and features of oral submucous fibrosis were enrolled between January 2020 and September 2021. The patients’ age and mouth opening were evaluated, and descriptive statistics and paired t-test were used for analytical investigation. Results: The study showed a statistically significant improvement in both treatment groups ( p = 0.001) concerning pre- and post-treatment deviations. However, when comparing the standard differences in treatment outcomes between the two study groups, only mouth opening exhibited a statistically significant difference ( p = 0.001). Conclusions: The findings indicate that a treatment regimen combining pentoxifylline and triamcinolone can significantly alleviate oral submucous fibrosis symptoms, including mouth opening, pain, and flaring agitation, thereby enhancing the affected individual’s quality of life.

Role of Antioxidant Vitamins in Oral Submucous Fibrosis: A Narrative Review

“…In a clinical trial conducted by Shah et al in treating stage 2 and 3 OSMF patients, one group received intralesional triamcinolone and the other oral pentoxifylline and vitamin E, and significant improvement in mouth opening in both groups post-treatment was noted. The authors added antioxidant vitamin E in their study with the understanding that oxidative stress has a role in the progression of OSMF [ 39 ]. There is increasing evidence in the literature that oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of OSMF and possibly its malignant transformation [ 43 , 44 ].…”