A study on the association with hepatitis B and hepatitis C in 1557 patients with lichen planus.
BACKGROUND
Previous reports have demonstrated contradicting results on the association between lichen planus and hepatitis.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between lichen planus and viral hepatitis.


METHODS
Patients with lichen planus were compared with controls regarding the prevalence of viral hepatitis in a case-control study using logistic multivariate regression models. The study was performed utilizing the medical database of Clalit Health Services.


RESULTS
The study included 1557 lichen planus patients over the age of 20 years and 3115 age- and gender-matched controls. The prevalence of hepatitis C in patients with lichen planus was higher than that in the control group (1.9%, 0.4% respectively, P<0.001). In a multivariate analysis, lichen planus was associated with hepatitis C (OR 4.19, 95% CI 2.21; 7.93). The prevalence of hepatitis B in patients with lichen planus was similar to that in the control group (0.9%, 0.5% respectively, P=0.12). A multivariate analysis revealed that lichen planus was not associated with hepatitis B (OR 1.69, 95% CI 0.82; 3.47).


CONCLUSIONS
Lichen planus is associated with hepatitis C but not with hepatitis B. Physicians who care for patients with lichen planus should consider screening patients with lichen planus for hepatitis C.
Birkenfeld
S
S
Clalit Health Services Siaal Research Center for Family Medicine and Primary Care Department of Epidemiology and Health Services Evaluation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
Dreiher
J
J
Weitzman
D
D
Cohen
A D
AD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008010:Lichen Planus / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis