title: New insights into potential risk factors and associations in genital lichen sclerosus: Data from a multicentre Italian study on 729 consecutive cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited data are available on risk factors associated with lichen sclerosus and no data are available on gender differences in genital lichen sclerosus (GLS).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This multicentre study aimed at identifying potential risk factors for GLS, through data collection from a large, mixed-sex sample of patients comparing gender-related differences in relation to data from the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study on 729 subjects (53.8% females, 46.2% males) affected with GLS, consecutively observed within a network of 15 Italian dermatology units. The following information was collected: demographic data, anthropometric measures, comorbidities, family history of LS, clinical features and symptoms related to GLS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overweight and obesity, blood hypertension, hypothyroidism and an educational attainment equal or above upper secondary school level were more frequent among the study patients than among the general Italian population. Moreover, a family history of GLS was reported more frequently than expected among GLS patients. These factors were similar in males and females. The disease tended to occur later in females than in males.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that metabolic factors, and possibly a sedentary lifestyle, may play a role in GLS pathogenesis in genetically predisposed patients, and that risk profile is similar in males and females despite some difference in the onset of symptoms.
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Sezione di Dermatologia e Malattie Infettive, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Virgili
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Sezione di Dermatologia e Malattie Infettive, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Borghi
authors: Centro Studi GISED - FROM, Bergamo, Italy.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Cazzaniga
authors: Centro Studi GISED - FROM, Bergamo, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Di Landro
authors: Centro Studi GISED - FROM, Bergamo, Italy.|UO di Dermatologia, Azienda Ospedaliera papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Naldi
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Sezione di Dermatologia e Malattie Infettive, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Minghetti
authors: Dermosifilopatia 2, Azienda Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Verrone
authors: Dermosifilopatia 2, Azienda Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Stroppiana
authors: Malattie Rare Dermatologiche e Immunopatologia Cutanea, U.O. Dermatologia I ASF-Università di Firenze, Firenze, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Caproni
authors: UOC Dermatologia, P. O. G. Rodolico Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico Vittorio Emanuele, Catania, Italy.
authors: M R
authors: MR
authors: Nasca
authors: Dermatologia, Dipartimento di Medicina Specialistica, Diagnostica e Sperimentale, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: D'Antuono
authors: Clinica Dermatologica di Terni, Dipartimento di Specialità Chirurgiche e Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Papini
authors: Struttura Semplice di Dermatologia Immunologica e Pediatrica, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova - IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliera di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Di Lernia
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Sezione di Dermatologia e Malattie Infettive, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Corazza
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D018459:Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010409:Penile Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012737:Sex Factors; D007724:Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult