Study of the lichen planus in the mouth mucosa

Abstract

Lichen planus is a disease described firstly about the middle of the XIX century and, thought its cause is unknown, there have been proposed several theories trying to explain its beginning: viral or bacterial infections, the influence of neurogenic factors, psychic stresses, alterations of the immune answer and others. We carried out an observational, descriptive, retrospective study of 21 patients assisting to the Maxilla Facial Service of the General Teaching Hospital “Julio M. Aristegui Villamil” of Cárdenas during the period from January 2001 to July 2006, to whom was histologically diagnosed lichen planus of the mouth mucosa. The objective of our investigation was showing the behavior of this disease in our health area and comparing it with that obtained by other authors. Among the most important results we have to quote that stress was in almost of the patients with lichen planus; female sex, white race and 41-to-50 years-old age group were the most affected.