title: [Genital lichen sclerosus].
abstract: Lichen sclerosus is a chronic inflammatory mucocutaneous disease which origin remains unknown. Its prevalence ranges from one in 300 to one in 1000 of all patients referred to a dermatology clinic in the seventeenth. Through the analysis of a hospital survey, we outline the epidemio-clinical aspects of this dermatosis. Over a 19-year period (1984-2002), we have conducted a retrospective and monocentric study of all patients with genital lichen sclerosus were examined at the dermatology department of Habib Thameur hospital. Thirty-four patients suffered from lichen sclerosus. There were 33 female and only one male (sex-ratio: 0.03). All patients underwent topical corticosteroid therapy (level I, II or IV). The recovery rate of lichen sclerosus was about 20% (7/34). An epidermoid carcinoma occurred in three patients. The frequency of lichen sclerosus in our study is estimated at 1,8 new cases per year. This frequency is probably under-estimated because of some patients' reluctance to seek help. A relatively low recovery rate of genital lichen sclerosus was found in our study. This may be related to an inadequate follow up added to an insufficient treatment adherence.
authors.affiliation: Service de dermatologie, Service d'anatomie-pathologique- Hôpital Habib Thameur de Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Zakraoui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Héla
authors.forename: Fenniche
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Samy
authors.forename: Benmously
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rym
authors.forename: Khaoula
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hajlaoui
authors.forename: Marrak
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayet
authors.forename: Ben Ayed
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Mokhtar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inçaf
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018459:Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010409:Penile Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014845:Vulvar Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones