A retrospective study of oral lichen planus in oral pathology department, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (1968-2002)

Oral lichen planus is a chronic mucocutaneous disease with various clinical expressions. The histopathologic features are not characteristic and may be seen in other diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical and pathologic features of oral lichen planus in oral pathology department of dental school, Tehran university of medical sciences. In this case series study, archive of oral pathology department from 1968 to 2002 was reviewed and cases diagnosed as lichen planus and related lesions selected. The diagnosis of oral lichen planus was confirmed by evaluation of microscopic slides. Clinical informations such as age, sex, site and duration of lesions and differential diagnosis as well as microscopic findings were recorded. Data were analyzed with SPSS software using t student, ANOVA, Chi-square and Post Hoc Tukey tests with p<0.05 as the limit of significance. From a total of 402 cases recorded as lichen planus and related lesions, 251 cases were confirmed for final analysis. The mean age of patients was 42 years (5 to 83 years). 50.4% of cases were men and 49.6% women. The most prevalent clinical type was the ulcerative form and the mean duration of disease was 18.4 months. Buccal mucosa was most frequently involved followed by the tongue and gingiva. A white patch, Wickham’s striae and mucosal erythema were the most prevalent clinical appearance and parakeratosis, orthokeratosis and eosinophilic band the most frequent microscopic features. Based on the results of this study, the correlation of clinical and pathological findings in the proper diagnosis of oral lichen planus is emphasized.