Methods: Between January 2, 2004 and May 2, 2006, 109 consecutive patients with OL and OLP have been investigated. A comprehensive physical examination and laboratory analyses were performed. Characterization of lesions occurred with the help of clinical and histological examinations. Subgrouping of lesions was performed on the basis of clinical appearance. OL was classified into homogenous and non-homogenous types. OLP lesions were subclassified into non-erosive, non-atrophic (non-EA) and erosive-atrophic (EA) OLPs.
Results: Twenty-nine OL and 80 OLP lesions were confirmed both histologically and clinically. All patients had at least one and the majority of them had multiple comorbid disorders. There was a significant (p < 0.01) association between EA-OLP lesions and previously undiscovered or not optimally treated disorders. All the patients with HCV infections (n=4) had EA-OLP lesions (p < 0.05). No association with systemic diseases was revealed in respect of OL.
Conclusions: These observations strongly support the hypothesis that systemic diseases may contribute to lesion formation or probably progression in patients with OL and OLP.
The study did not have any funding source.