Lichen Planus: A descriptive study of 242 patients

Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the clinical and observational aspects of lichen planus in Mosul province. Patients and methods: The study was a cross-sectional descriptive study in Dermatology Clinic at Ibn Sina Teaching Hospital in Mosul, Iraq from January 2018 to January 2020. Two hundred and forty-two patients who suffered from different clinical types of lichen planus were enrolled in this study. A clinical diagnosis of lichen planus was made which was confirmed by biopsy and histopathology in suspected patients. The severity of itching for the patients was measured according to Pruritus Visual Analogue Scale (PVAS). Results: Lichen planus constituted about 0.35% of the patients attending to dermatological outpatient clinic. Mean +/- SD age of the patients was 39.2 +/- 15.4 years (age range: 12-87 years), with a ratio of male to female 1:1.1. Classical type was the commonest type of lichen planus seen in 126 (52.06%), while the actinic type was (15.28%), hypertrophic type (7.85%). The upper extremities were found to be affected in 114 patients, while the lower extremities were affected in 116 patients. Itching was presented by 156 (64.46%) patients suffered from severe pruritus. The severity of itching according to PVAS was 7.2 +/- 2.1. Conclusion: Lichen planus is one of the common papulosquamous skin conditions in Mosul city. Most affected patients are middle age group. Classical type is the commonest type, followed by actinic type.