EROSIVE LICHEN-PLANUS OF THE SCALP

Background. We report an exceptional clinical presentation of erosive lichen planus of the scalp associated with hepatitis C and idiopathic CD4 lymphocytopenia. Case report. A 90-year-old woman was hospitalized in May 1995 for erosive dermatosis of the scalp and alopecia, associa ted with ungual lesions. Histology of the scalp lesions demonstrated l ichen and the serology tests were positive for hepatitis C. The patien t also had severe CD4 lymphocytopenia (290/mm(3)). The lesions regress ed with clobetasol and occlusion and growth of scalp hair returned. Di scussion. Erosive lichen planus of the scalp has, to our knowledge, no t been reported previously. The causal effect of drugs taken by this p atient (tetrazepam and clorazepam) was not retained. Seropositivity fo r hepatitis C (with no evidence of active disease) was however probabl y not fortuitous. The association with CD4 lymphocytopenia merits disc ussion.