title: Lichen planus, chronic liver diseases, and immunologic involvement.
abstract: We report the clinical features of 62 consecutive patients with lichen planus observed in 18 months. The largest number of cases occurred between 50 and 70 years of age. Thirty-four patients had lichen planus only. In the remainder, lichen planus was associated with chronic liver diseases (16 cases), immune-related disorders (7 cases), and diabetes (5 cases). Mucous-erosive lichen planus was significantly more frequent in cases with lichen planus and other diseases. In all patients with liver diseases the histological features always showed a severe liver involvement. No relationship was observed between lichen planus and the etiology of the liver diseases. Females were more affected by immune-related disorders than males. The above data, together with the increased levels found of IgA, auto-antibodies, and cryoglobulins, even in cases with lichen planus only, suggest that lichen planus results from an immune imbalance, often associated with systemic involvement.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dermatology, University of Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cottoni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Solinas
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Piga
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tocco
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lissia
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cerimele
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003450:Cryoglobulins / Q000378:metabolism; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007154:Immune System Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism; D008010:Lichen Planus / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D003450:Cryoglobulins; D007070:Immunoglobulin A