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Oral lichen planus in A rab countries : a review
Author(s) -
AlNasser Lubna,
ElMetwally Ashraf
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of oral pathology and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0714
pISSN - 0904-2512
DOI - 10.1111/jop.12136
Subject(s) - oral lichen planus , mucocutaneous zone , etiology , medicine , population , epidemiology , disease , immunology , environmental health
Oral lichen planus ( OLP ) is a chronic mucocutaneous inflammatory disease of unknown etiology with a potential for malignant transformation. Little is known about the epidemiology of this condition in the A rab world. A computer‐based literature search was conducted using relevant keywords to retrieve studies conducted in Arab world pertaining to OLP , 28 articles were identified initially. After screening for exclusion criteria/retrieving full texts, a total of 15 articles were used for this review. Three studies were cross‐sectional and found a prevalence ranging from 0.35% to 1.7%. Studies about risk factors and prognostic markers were conducted in clinical settings, using a case–control design mostly ( n = 9), cohort ( n = 2), and clinical trial ( n = 1). Genetic expressions of various proteins (e.g., BCL family), cultural determinants (Deram chewing), bacterial and viral infections [ H elicobacter pylori and H epatitis C virus ( HCV )] were among factors investigated. Evidence extracted from these studies shows a possible link between OLP and Deram use, H. pylori and HCV Infections with a prevalence of the latter infection ranging from 14.7% to 26.3% in patients with OLP . However, paucity of population‐based studies limits generalizability of such evidence. Future studies in the A rab world should focus upon surveying the extent of OLP , identifying cultural risk factors, utilization of OLP genetic markers in diagnostic, and prognostic applications.