title: A multicenter study of oral lichen planus in Thai patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oral lichen planus is an oral mucosal disease that affects middle-aged patients. The characteristics of oral lichen planus in Thai patients from a multicenter were studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of 533 patients from the oral medicine clinics at Chulalongkorn and Mahidol (central Thailand), Chiang Mai (northern Thailand), and Khon Kaen (northeastern Thailand) universities during 2002-2007 were analyzed. The diagnosis of patients with oral lichen planus was clinically and/or histopathologically confirmed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a greater number of female patients than males (4:1). There were significant differences in age, sex, and some systemic diseases among the oral lichen planus patients from the three centers. Burning sensation was the most common symptom (72.9%), followed by pain (26.5%), roughness (6.4%), and then no other symptoms (7.9%). The most common site of lesions was found at the buccal mucosa (87.1%). Atrophic oral lichen planus was common in Thai patients. There were significant differences in the types of oral lichen planus, including reticular, atrophic, and ulcerative oral lichen planus among these patients from the three centers (P = 0.000). Nine cases (1.7%) showed dysplasia, but one case (0.2%) developed squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with oral lichen planus from the central, northern, and northeastern parts of Thailand presented with distinct characteristics. The malignant transformation of oral lichen planus was low in Thai patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.  kobkan.t@chula.ac.th
authors.forename: Kobkan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thongprasom
authors.forename: Pornpan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Youngnak-Piboonratanakit
authors.forename: Surawut
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pongsiriwet
authors.forename: Titikan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laothumthut
authors.forename: Patnarin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kanjanabud
authors.forename: Lalita
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rutchakitprakarn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017512:Lichenoid Eruptions / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D019226:Oral Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Thai; dysplasia; lichen planus; malignant transformation; oral