NO EVIDENCE OF HCV INFECTION OR LIVER-DISEASE IN BRITISH PATIENTS WITH ORAL LICHEN-PLANUS

An association between chronic hepatic disease and/or hepatitis C (HCV ) infection and lichen planus (LP) has been described in patients from Italy, Japan and Spain. There are no data on the frequency of the ass ociation with HCV in British patients. In the present investigation, t he HCV seropositivity and liver function status of 55 British patients with oral LP were assessed and compared with these parameters in 110 healthy control subjects. None of the patients with LP or control subj ects had serum IgG antibodies to HCV or had abnormal liver function. I t was concluded that while LP may be associated with HCV infection and liver disease in some southern European and other patients, such a co -occurence was not detected in British patients.