Oral lichen planus, hepatitis C virus, and HIV: no association in a cohort study from an area of high hepatitis C virus endemicity.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to assess the age-specific prevalence of oral lichen planus (OLP) in Mediterranean patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and to evaluate the features of OLP in relation to sex, smoking, HCV genotype, HIV-1 coinfection, and antiviral treatments.


METHODS
In all, 178 anti-HCV-positive adults (60 women and 118 men; age range 20-66 years) recruited from two cohorts (104 HIV-negative patients and 74 patients with HIV coinfection) underwent oral examination.


RESULTS
Overall prevalence of OLP was 2.8% (5 of 178) (male/female ratio 0.2; odds ratio=0.119; 95% confidence interval=0.013-1.106), only among HIV-negative participants, always in the reticular pattern, and in the adult age. HCV genotype, tobacco smoking, and treatment (interferon alfa/ribavirin) were not significantly associated to OLP.


CONCLUSIONS
Among HCV-infected patients, we found a low prevalence of OLP. The absence of OLP in HIV-coinfected patients suggests immunosuppression secondary to defective CD4 functions.
Campisi
G
G
Unit of Oral Medicine, Department of Oral Sciences, University of Palermo, Italy.
Di Fede
O
O
Craxi
A
A
Di Stefano
R
R
Margiotta
V
V
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology
D000998:Antiviral Agents