title: Emotional assessment of patients with oral lichen planus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oral lichen planus is a chronic immune-mediated disease with an estimated prevalence of 0.5-2.5% in the general population. Patients with oral lichen planus are often emotionally unstable and anxious and may develop concomitant systemic disorders. The objective of this study was to evaluate emotional characteristics of patients with oral lichen planus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups were studied: the first group consisted of 48 patients with a diagnosis of oral lichen planus, and the second group consisted of controls without the disease matched for age and gender at a proportion of 1:1. The emotional state of the patients was evaluated using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, SF-36 generic quality of life questionnaire, and the Self Reporting Questionnaire-20.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present investigation demonstrated the presence of anxiety and depression in patients with oral lichen planus and a negative impact of the disorder on the patient's quality of life as indicated by impairment of the physical aspect, vitality, mental health, and social aspect domains. This could indicate that associated psychological treatment may be important in the follow-up of these patients.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Biosciences and Oral Diagnosis, São José dos Campos Dental School, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mônica Ghislaine Oliveira
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Bruna Fernandes
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: do Carmo Carvalho
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Balducci
authors.forename: Luiz Antonio Guimarães
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nicodemo
authors.forename: Janete Dias
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult