Oral lichen planus in relation to transaminase levels and hepatitis C virus

Abstract

Elevation of transaminase levels was reported earlier in patients with oral lichen planus. The association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and lichen planus had given positive and negative results. The controversies and uncertainties regarding the association of HCV and the liver function status (transaminase levels) in oral lichen planus inspired us to conduct this study. This study was performed on 40 patients with different types of oral lichen planus as a study group and 40 healthy cases as control group. All patients were subjected to routine blood test and urine analysis and the estimation of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) levels. The values of SGOT and SGPT levels < or =40 IU / l were considered within normal limits. Anti-HCV titer was estimated in all cases. Fourteen patients (35%) with oral lichen planus had diabetes mellitus, while six (15%) cases of the control group had diabetes mellitus (P = 0.04). Regarding SGOT and SGPT levels, it was elevated in 19 cases (47.5%) and in 4 cases (10%) of the study group and control group, respectively (P = 0.0002). In relation to the type of oral lichen planus, out of 15 erosive cases, 80% (12 cases) showed elevated SGOT/SGPT levels. Out of 25 non-erosive cases, 7 (28%) patients showed elevated SGOT/SGPT levels (P < 0.01). Anti-HCV titer was negative in all cases. We can conclude that diabetes mellitus and elevated transaminase levels might be related to the development of oral lichen planus lesions. There is a strong association between elevated SGOT/SGPT levels and detection of erosive type of such lesions. However, no correlation between oral lichen planus and HCV infection could be assessed in the present study.