Hypertrophic lichen planus as a presenting feature of human immunodeficiency virus infection

Abstract

Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic papulosquamous dermatosis in which both skin and mucous membranes may be involved. To date, there have been only five reports of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients with hypertrophic LP. In the present report, we describe a 37-year-old female who presented with widely distributed, hyperpigmented, pruritic scaly lesions involving the face, trunk, and upper and lower extremities for one month. She also had swelling of both lower legs with low grade fever for past one week. She was diagnosed to be a HIV-positive patient who had severe, widespread hypertrophic LP lesions along with acute eruptive lesions of LP. These LP lesions were a presenting feature of HIV infection in our case.