The reported prevalence of oral lichen planus: a review and critique.
OBJECTIVE
To examine all studies reporting prevalences of oral lichen planus (OLP) for epidemiological validity and to extract prevalence data from the valid papers.


METHODS
Computer based literature searches were carried out using the MeSH headings 'lichen planus, oral and (prevalence or incidence)' and were supplemented by manual searching.


METHODS
Each paper was examined for five criteria: clinic-based or population study, adequate demographic description (by sex and age group) of the population, adequate demographic description of the sample (if the population was sampled), adequate demographic description of the OLP cases identified, and histological confirmation of the clinical diagnosis.


RESULTS
Forty-five relevant papers were identified, 21 clinic-based and 24 population studies. All but one of the population studies was deficient. One study, while having some defects, was probably sufficiently valid to permit the findings to be regarded as useful. An overall age-standardized prevalence of 1.27% (0.96% in men and 1.57% in women) can be calculated from this study.


CONCLUSIONS
There appears to be only one usable prevalence study of OLP. Other large-scale studies are required in other populations. Such studies need to distinguish between OLP and lichenoid reactions.
McCartan
B E
BE
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland.
Healy
C M
CM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003710:Demography; D003740:Dental Clinics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult