Association of lichen planus with hepatitis C virus infection

BACKGROUND: An association between HCV infection and lichen planus is uncertain because the prevalence of HCV infection in patients with lichen planus varies considerably from one geographic area to another. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of anti-HCV antibodies and its association with various clinical types of lichen planus in Mekkah, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A total of 114 cases of lichen planus were selected for the study. These were divided into four categories, including patients with skin lesions, skin and oral lesions, and oral or genital lesions alone. The sera of these patients were tested for HCV antibodies by means of a third-generation ELISA and serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were simultaneously determined. A group of 65 volunteers served as a control group. RESULTS: Of the 114 patients with lichen planus, 30 had HCV antibodies (26.3%). In the 65 control group subjects anti-HCV antibodies were observed in 3 volunteers (4.6%). There was a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.0001). The ALT was raised in 22 patients and the AST level was elevated in 14 of the 114 cases of lichen planus. In the control group, the AST level was raised in 3 of the 65 controls while 2 had an elevated ALT level. The number of patients with an abnormal transaminase level also significantly differed in the two groups. CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of HCV infection was detected in patients with lichen planus. These results support a possible relationship between lichen planus and hepatitis C.