Examination of cases with lichen planus

Abstract

Objectives: The present study attempts to evaluate the clinical and observational features of lichen planus in Mosul province. Patients and methods: To fulfill the aim of the study,  a cross-sectional descriptive study is utilized in Dermatology Clinic at Ibn Sina Teaching Hospital in

Mosul, Iraq from January 2018 to January 2020. This study recruited two hundred and forty-two cases suffering from various clinical signs of lichen planus. A clinical diagnosis of lichen planus was made, affirmed through biopsy and histopathology in suspected cases. Results: Lichen planus comprised approximately 0.35% of the cases visiting the dermatological outpatient clinic. The mean ± SD age of the patients was 39.2 ± 15.4 years (ranging from 12 to87 years), with a ratio of male to female 1:1.1. The classical type was the most typical kind of lichen planus detected in 126 (52.06%), whereas the actinic kind was (15.28%), hypertrophic type (7.85%). The upper extremities were changed in 114 cases. In contrast, the lower extremities were affected in 116 patients. The itching was presented by 156 (64.46%) patients who suffered from severe pruritus. The intensity of itching based on PVAS was 7.2±2.1. Conclusion: Lichen planus is regarded as a prevalent papulosquamous skin condition in Mosul city. The majority of concerned cases are middle age. The classical type is the most typical one, followed by the actinic sort.