title: Prevalence of oral lichen planus among a sample of the Egyptian population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report on the prevalence of oral lichen planus among a sample of the Egyptian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  4470 Egyptian patients, aged 15-75 years, were seen at the outpatient clinic at the Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. 31.25 % of these patients were males and 68.75% were females. Oral mucosal lesions consistent with oral lichen planus (OLP) were identified both clinically and confirmed histologically (in atypical cases) so that the prevalence of oral lichen planus in this study is 1.43%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  64 patients were diagnosed with OLP (20 males and 44 females). The average age of the affected group was 48.07 years. Associated skin lesions were detected in 15/64 patients (23.44%) and tobacco habits was observed in 20/64 patients (31.25%). The average period of follow-up of the affected cases was 1-2 years, during which two cases developed squamous cell carcinoma of the oral lesion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within the limitations of this study it revealed the prevalence of OLP among middle-aged women. Atrophic lesions were most frequent, followed by the erosive forms. Anti-HCV circulating antibodies were more common in patients with OLP and, notably, OLP was associated with Diabetes mellitus in 15.63% of patients. Key words:Prevalence, oral lichen planus, Egypt.
authors: Assistant Professor. Oral and Dental Research Division, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Basma
authors: B
authors: Mostafa
authors: Lecturer. Oral Medicine and Periodontology Dep., Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.
authors: Enji
authors: E
authors: Ahmed