A retrospective and comparative study of familial and non-familial bullous lichen planus

Abstract

In order to compare the clinical characteristics of familial and non-familial bullous lichen planus (BLP), the archival data of 36 BLP patients with positive family history and 21 BLP patients with negative family history diagnosed according to the clinical features and histopathology were collected in our department from 1956 to 2003. The clinical features were analyzed and compared. There were significant differences between familial and non-familial BLP in age of onset, duration of disease and extension of eruption (P<0.01). It was concluded that familial BLP appeared to differ from the non-familial form in its earlier age of onset, longer duration of the disease, more extensive eruption and more tendency to involve nails. Hereditary factors may play a role in the pathogenesis of familial BLP.

Keywords

familial / non-familial / bullous lichen planus

References

[1] McCrearyC. E., McCartanB. E.. Clinical management of oral lichen planus. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg, 1999, 37(5): 338-343

[2] UnsalB., GultekinS. E., BalE., et al.. Bullous oral lichen planus: report of two cases. Chin Med J (Engl), 2003, 116(10): 1594-1595

[3] KarthikeyanK., JeevankumarB., ThappaD. M.. Bullous lichen planus of the glans penis. Dermatol Online J, 2003, 9(5): 31

[4] InalozH. S., PatelG., HoltP. J.. Bullous lichen planus arising in the skin graft donor site of a psoriatic patient. J Dermatol, 2001, 28(1): 43-46

[5] KatzenelsonV., LotemM., SandbankM.. Familial lichen planus. Dermatologica, 1990, 180(3): 166-168

[6] KofoedM. L., WantzinG. L.. Familial lichen planus. More frequent than previously suggested?. J Am Acad Dermatol, 1985, 13(1): 50-54

[7] MahoodJ. M.. Familial lichen planus. A report of nine cases from four families with a brief review of the literature. Arch Dermatol, 1983, 119(4): 292-294

[8] ChenX., WengM.. An analysis of 11 cases of lichen planus with bullae. Chin J Dermatovenereol (Chinese), 1999, 13: 361-362

[9] GongZ.. Bullous lichen planus: report of a pedigree with 6 patients. J Wuhan Med (Chinese), 1985, 9: 221

[10] HuangZ.. A study on the clinical and histological characteristics of bullous lichen planus. Chin J Dermatol (Chinese), 1965, 11(2): 77-80

[11] CopemanP. W., TanR. S., TimlinD., et al.. Familial lichen planus. Another disease or a distinct people?. Br J Dermatol, 1978, 98(5): 573-577