VULVAR LICHEN-SCLEROSUS - LACK OF CORRELATION BETWEEN DURATION OF CLINICAL SYMPTOMS AND HISTOLOGICAL APPEARANCES

Background Histological criteria in lichen sclerosus have been correla ted with disease duration. A progressive tendency for the inflammatory infiltrate to become more deeply placed and more sparse with long-sta nding disease has been described together with a tendency for collagen homogenisation in the upper dermis to become more prominent with time . Materials and methods We performed a retrospective blind clinico-pat hological study on 20 untreated patients with lichen sclerosus. We loo ked at sections from five additional patients with lichen sclerosus wh o required serial biopsies in the course of their disease. The purpose was to observe the histological patterns at different stages of the c linical course. Results We found a poor correlation between estimated disease duration and histological criteria for early and long-standing disease. Conclusion We conclude that the pathological process in lich en sclerosus is a continuing process and the inflammatory component ca n be a persistent or recurring phenomenon which may be site-determined . The estimation of disease duration in vulval lichen sclerosus using histological criteria is unsatisfactory. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V .