Lichen planus and chronic active hepatitis. A retrospective survey.
In a retrospective survey 95 in-patients with non erosive lichen planus (LP) were summoned to be investigated by means of routine liver tests. 44 patients responded. Remarkable abnormalities of liver tests were found in 6 patients who were further studied for antibodies to smooth muscle and mitochondria and submitted to liver biopsy. Histological diagnosis revealed chronic active hepatitis (CAH) in 5 cases (11.3%). Such an impressive prevalence and the histologic and immunologic similarities between the two diseases support the view that the association LP-CAH is not fortuitous and that both diseases may have the same autoimmune pathogenesis. Accordingly LP may be regarded as a major risk factor for liver cirrhosis.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008010:Lichen Planus / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies