Lichen planus patients and stressful events.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the possible role of stress before the onset/extension of lichen planus.


METHODS
Forty-six outpatients with lichen planus were enrolled. The design was a case-control study (controls had skin diseases with low psychosomatic component). Stressful situations were evaluated using Holmes and Rahe's social readjustment rating scale.


RESULTS
Lichen planus had an incidence of 0.36% among dermatological conditions. In the lichen planus group, there was a female predominance (76%) and a median age around 50 years. More than 67% of cases experienced at least one stressful event, compared with 21% of controls (chi(2) = 17.58, P < 0.001). The odds ratio was 7.44. There was a borderline significant difference in the mean number of stressful events between lichen planus patients and controls (P = 0.06). We divided the situations described by Holmes and Rahe into three categories: family, personal, and job or financial problems. The presence of major life events was significant different in patients and controls (P = 0.005). Family matters were described by 43.6% of lichen planus patients, statistically significant compared with controls (P = 0.002). In almost 25% of cases of lichen planus, 'the stressful event' was represented by the illness or death of someone dear. 'Personal problems' seemed to be important compared with controls (P = 0.04), exams representing 25% of these matters. There was no difference between the patients and controls regarding the importance of job or financial changes.


CONCLUSIONS
Stressful situations, especially related to family, may have a role in the onset and extension of lichen planus lesions.
Manolache
L
L
Cetatea Histria Polyclinic, Bucharest, Romania. manoliana@b.astral.ro
Seceleanu-Petrescu
D
D
Benea
V
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008010:Lichen Planus / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires