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| CASE REPORT |
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| Year : 1997 | Volume
: 63
| Issue : 4 | Page : 248-249 |
Conicidence of vitiligo and lichen planus
R Jaswal, SD Mehta, GK Bedi, AJ Kanwar
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Correspondence Address:
R Jaswal
PMID: 20944344
How to cite this article:
Jaswal R, Mehta S D, Bedi G K, Kanwar A J. Conicidence of vitiligo and lichen planus. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 1997;63:248-9 |
How to cite this URL:
Jaswal R, Mehta S D, Bedi G K, Kanwar A J. Conicidence of vitiligo and lichen planus. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol [serial online] 1997 [cited 2013 May 21];63:248-9. Available from: http://www.ijdvl.com/text.asp?1997/63/4/248/4584 |
Lichen planus (LP) has been associated with a variety of autoimmune disorders. It is not known whether patients with vitiligo are more inclined to develop LP or if these diseases are etiologically related. A 50- year-old female is reported in present communication with lichen planus and vitiligo with history of recent increase in size of vitiligo patches.
| Case Report | |  |
A 50-year-old female presented with history of vitiliginous patches since the age of 25 years which increased in size recently. Erythematous flat-topped, violaceous polygonal papules which varied in size from pinpoint to one centimeter, were noted on the vitiliginous patches and other areas all over body sparing palms, soles, face and scalp since four months. Many papules demonstrated Wickham's straie. Koebner phenomenon was observed over the lesions. Histopathology of cutaneous papules was consistent with lichen planus. A skin biopsy from advancing edge of patch of vitiligo showed lymphocytic infiltrate. Oral minipulse therapy with prednisolone 50mg 2 days a week for 8 weeks controlled lichen planus and also halted the progression of vitiligo patches.
| Discussion | | |
Cutaneous diseases like lichen planus, discoid lupus erythematosus and psoriasis are seen in association with vitiligo.[1]Ahmed et al,[2]reported a case of co-existence of vitiligo and actinic lichen planus with possibility of common aetiological background. The etiology of lichen planus and vitiligo is not known with certainty. Autoimmune background is largely circumstantial in vitiligo and co-existence of unrelated skin diseases is likely to be much less common. Co-existence of two disorders which possess a prominent immunological component in their pathogenesis may offer clue to their causation.
In vitiligo autoimmune hypothesis is suggested by its clinical association with number of disorders.[3]In lichen planus, there is paucity of immune complexes in the skin lesions,[4]and probably autoimmunity plays a role as suggested by Shuttleworth et al.[5] In present case a localised lymphocytic infiltrate at the progressing edge of a lesion of vitiligo and response to oral corticosteroids are evidence to show that immune derangement has a role to play in causation of above disease. The co-existence of vitiligo and lichen planus has been scarcely reported in literature.[6]Their association suggests that autoimmunity plays a role in pathogenesis of these disorders.
| References | | |
| 1. | Sharma SC. Autoimmune and cutaneous association of various types of vitiligo, Ind J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 1991;57:107-108.  |
| 2. | Ahmed K, Kachhawa D, Khullar R. Coexistence of vitiligo and actinic lichen planus, Ind J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 1992;58:128-130. |
| 3. | Boyd AS, Neidner KH. Lichen planus, J Am Acad Dermatol 1991;25:593-619. |
| 4. | Dhar S, Kanwar A J, Dawn G, et al. Paucity of immune complexes in skin lesions of lichen planus, Ind J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 1995;61:21-25 |
| 5. | Shuttleworth D, Graham Brown RAC, Campbell AC. The auto-immune background in lichen planus, Br J Dermatol 1986;115:199-203. |
| 6. | Mann RJ, Wallington TB, Watin RP. Lichen planus with late onset hypogamma globulineaemia, a casual relationship, Br J Dermatol 1982;106:357-360. |
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