Nail plate involvement in lichen ruber planus

The authors review the literature data on the frequency of the nail plate involvement in lichen ruber planus and on the clinical features of this condition. Four patients suffering from lichen ruber planus with various manifestations of the nail plate involvement are described. The therapy efficacy depends on the severity of inflammation in the matrix unguis.     

A case of bullous-ulcerative lichen ruber planus

Bullous ulcerative lichen ruber planus (BULRP) in a 58-year-old woman is described. Besides the common symptoms (papular rash, vesicles and ulcers on the soles, detachment of the nail plates, atrophic foci on the hairy part of the head), the patient has developed erosions on the buccal and vaginal mucosa, articular involvement, complete loss of hair in the armpits and on the pubis. Local dibunol liniment has been effective in therapy of the mucosal erosions.     

Clinical spectrum of oral lichen ruber planus

Lichen planus is the most frequent non-infectious disease of the oral mucous membrane. The classical form most commonly observed on the buccal, palatal and labial mucosa shows a fine lacework of white papules and lines. Plaque-like, bullous-erosive, erythematous, atrophic and rarely verrucous lesions may be seen either alone or in conjunction with the white lacework. Particular clinical forms are characteristic for certain regions of the oral mucosa. The margins of the tongue show erosions, but the dorsal surface usually exhibits round white plaques or smooth atrophic areas. Erosive lesions of the tongue are at risk for eventual cancer development. Lichen planus of the gums often presents as desquamative gingivitis.     

Coincidence of light urticaria and lichen ruber planus

A 49-year-old patient with concomitant solar urticaria (SU) and lichen planus (LP) is presented. The sunlight- and UV-A-provoked wheal and flare SU reactions were interpreted as an antigen-antibody reaction, probably involving a reaginic antibody, because SU was passively transferred by a serum factor utilizing the Prausnitz-Küstner reaction. The reduced percentage of suppressor cytotoxic T-cell subset in peripheral blood typical of active LP may facilitate the increased production of reaginic antibodies after presentation of antigen by sunlight. Not only was the usual immunological reaction of LP (similar to graft-versus-host reaction) suppressed by PUVA treatment, but increased tolerance to sunlight was also achieved.     

Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus and lichen ruber planus

We describe a 67 year old woman who suffers from lichen sclerosus et atrophicus. The clinical and histologic findings are mixed with those of lichen planus or respectively the alterations of both diseases.     

Decreased natural killer cell activity in lichen ruber planus

Natural killer cell (NK) activity of peripheral blood lymphocytes in 15 patients with moderate to exanthematic lichen ruber planus (LP) was studied. Markedly diminished NK response in patients with LP was revealed as compared with that of healthy controls. Decreased NK activity found in LP was supposed to be a secondary phenomenon.