Telomerase activity in oral lichen planus

The purpose of this study was to determine the expression of telomerase in refractory oral lichen planus. Using a polymerase chain reaction-based telomerase activity assay, we investigated telomerase activity in 20 oral lichen planus specimens (erosive 9, atrophic 11). Telomerase activity was detected in 14 cases (erosive 7, atrophic 7). Furthermore, 13 cases of lichen planus with mild dysplasia proved telomerase-positive in eight specimens and six of seven cases devoid of dysplasia were also positive in the telomerase assay. The data indicate that, in general, telomerase activity might be frequently detectable in OLP. The data also suggest that telomerase activity might not be particularly associated with the premalignant phenotype in OLP.     

Altered interface adhesion molecules in oral lichen planus

Recurrent spontaneous abortion is a frustrating problem for clinicians and their patients. Fortunately, a reasonable amount of research is being conducted to try and identify the causes of this disorder and develop appropriate and effective diagnostic tests and therapies. This review focuses on some of the factors that have been associated with recurrent abortion, such as cell-mediated immune responses to trophoblast antigens, the effect of oxidative stress, and the immunomodulatory properties of placental protein. The risk of recurrence is particularly high when the length of the embryo in early pregnancy is less than the 50th centile, even though cardiac activity may be present. Also, the risk is directly related to the number of previous abortions. Efficacy has been shown for treatment of unexplained recurrent abortion with allogeneic leukocyte immunization and possibly with intravenous immunoglobulin. Patients with oligomenorrhoea may benefit from treatment with human chorionic gonadotropin.     

Meeting the educational needs of patients with oral lichen planus

Lichen planus is a chronic oral disorder that is often painful and annoying. The patients have been described as usually over 50 years old, with a high educational level, anxious and high-strung. In previous research studies, these patients have reported unusual and highly stressful life events. Because dentists are in a position to advise their patients about chronic illness, this study was designed to (1) determine what information was given to lichen planus patients by their dentists; (2) determine what questions the patients asked their dentists; and (3) assess what educational materials would be helpful for this group of patients. A survey was sent to 151 biopsy-confirmed lichen planus patients, with a response rate of 55 percent. The results indicated that the patients were concerned about the possibility of malignancy and of contagion, and that they were frustrated by the lack of available patient education.     

A new concept for the pathogenesis and treatment strategies for oral lichen planus

Mounting evidence points out to the immunologic basis of lichen planus (LP). Tumour necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) is a cytokine with multiple biologic activities, some of which may be relevant to the pathogenesis of LP. The present study was thus conducted to assess its production by peripheral blood leucocytes in patients with active lesions of oral lichen planus (OLP) compared to age matched healthy control volunteers. For the assessment, the quantitative immunometric sandwich technique was employed. Significantly greater amounts of TNF-alpha were found in serum samples of OLP patients compared to healthy individuals, suggesting a possible association between this cytokine and the pathogenesis of OLP and pointing out to the primary initiative role played by altered keratinocytes. This pointed out the beneficial effect of anti-TNF drugs in the management of OLP.     

Betamethasone-I7, 2I-dipropionate ointment: an effective topical preparation in lichen ruber planus

The purpose of our study was to determine the incidence of thyroid antibodies in diabetes mellitus in childhood and to discuss the correlation between thyroid antibodies and insulin antibodies. The sera of 50 children with diabetes mellitus and 437 children as disease controls were tested by thyroglobulin and microsome-coated tanned red cell hemagglutination test (Fuji Zoki Co. Tokyo). One of the 50 children with diabetes mellitus (2%) was positive with antithyroglobulin antibodies and eleven (22%) were positive with antimicrosomal antibodies compared to 0.4% and 1.1% respectively in 437 disease controls. To clarify the association of insulin antibodies and thyroid antibodies in diabetes mellitus in childhood, insulin antibodies were demonstrated by using a modified method described by Wright. One of the 33 children with negative insulin antibody (2.8%) was positive with antithyroglobulin antibodies and eight (24%) were positive antimicrosomal antibodies. No evident correlation was observed between antithyroid antibodies and insulin antibodies.     

Psychologic factors and oral lichen planus. A psychometric evaluation of 100 cases

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the importance of psychologic factors in patients with oral lichen planus, and attempts were made to identify possible personality features characteristic of patients with oral lichen planus. STUDY DESIGN: The study involved 100 patients with oral lichen planus (group 1) and 50 control subjects (group 2). We applied the following psychometric tests to both groups: Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Cattell Personality Questionnaire 16PF, Hassanyeh Rating of Anxiety-Depression-Vulnerability, Beck Depression Inventory, Raskin Depression Screen, and Covi Anxiety Screen. RESULTS: The patients with oral lichen planus were found to exhibit greater anxiety, as reflected by statistically significant scores with the anxiety tests that were used (Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Cattell Personality Questionnaire 16PF, Hassanyeh Rating of Anxiety-Depression-Vulnerability, and Covi Anxiety Screen). The patients with oral lichen planus likewise exhibited greater depression than the controls in all 3 depression tests applied (Beck Depression Inventory, Hassanyeh Rating of Anxiety-Depression-Vulnerability, and Raskin Depression Screen) and were more vulnerable to psychic disorders on the basis of the PD subscales (vulnerability) of the Hassanyeh questionnaire. Three features (conformity to the group, astuteness, and rebelliousness) defined the personalities of our patients with oral lichen planus, according to the Cattell 16PF questionnaire. Finally, those patients with erosive lichen planus exhibited higher depression scores than patients with nonerosive lichen planus. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the higher anxiety scores observed in patients with oral lichen planus, it was not established that the observed psychologic alterations constitute a direct etiologic factor of oral lichen planus; nor was it established that such alterations are a consequence of oral lichen planus and its lesions.     

Preliminary investigation of the association of oral lichen planus and hepatitis C

The autopsy findings of a 78-year-old man mimicking primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) are reported. He showed slowly progressive spasticity, pseudobulbar palsy and character change, and died 32 months after the onset of symptoms. Autopsy revealed severe atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes, remarkable neuronal loss and gliosis in the precentral gyrus, left temporal lobe pole and amygdala, mild degeneration of the Ammon's horn, degeneration of the corticospinal tract, and very mild involvement of the lower motor neurons. The anterior horn cells only occasionally demonstrated Bunina body by cystatin-C staining, and skein-like inclusions by ubiquitin staining. This is a peculiar case with concomitant involvement in the motor cortex and temporal lobe in motor neuron disease predominantly affecting the upper motor neuron.     

HCV genotypes in Italian patients with HCV-related oral lichen planus

Based on an analysis of 10 patients after a feminizing operation of a virilized genital in female pseudohermaphroditism caused by congenital adrenal hyperplasia on account of 21-hydroxylase deficiency the authors emphasize in conjunction with multidisciplinary collaboration the necessity of early modification and surgical repair with adjustment of the external genital before the age of two years. An excellent anatomical and cosmetic result of reconstruction with clitoroplasty emphasizes the importance of preserving the clitoris and erectile tissue to ensure adequate social, psychic and sexual development of the patient.     

Fibronectin in tissues and saliva of patients with oral lichen planus

BACKGROUND: Whilst gastrin has been found to be trophic for some colorectal cancer cell lines, and gastrin receptor antagonists are able to block this phenomenon, their potency has been modest. METHODS: The effect of a new, potent and selective CCK B receptor antagonist, CI-988 on the growth of LoVo, a human colon cancer cell line both in vitro and in vivo was instigated. RESULTS: Basal growth of LoVo in vitro was inhibited by up to 58.93 +/- 7.30% with concentrations of CI-988 as low as 1 X 10(-11) mol/L whereas the addition of gastrin (G17) at 0.5 nmol/L had no effect. LoVo was also grown in vivo for 10 days in nude mice subsequently treated with CI-988 at 10 mg/kg per day orally for 20 days. CI-988 inhibited the growth of xenografts by 53%. CONCLUSION: This was the first study in cancer with this potent gastrin receptor antagonist, CI-988. The results suggest that CI-988 may be of use in inhibiting the growth of colorectal cancer.     

Significance of the expression of HLA-DR on keratinocytes in oral lichen planus lesions

A case of synovial cyst of the hip presenting as a venous compression in the lower limb is reported. From a review of about 100 cases reported in the literature, the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment are discussed.     

Isolated lichen planus of the lip

Oral lichen planus (LP) is a relatively common disorder of unknown aetiology. Oral LP occurs most often on the buccal mucosa, but the gingivae, tongue, floor of the mouth, retromalar pads and lips may also be affected. Usually, patients have multiple sites of involvement. We report a 44-year-old patient with a 3-year history of isolated swelling of the lower lip, erosions and crusting. Histology of a biopsy from the lip revealed features of LP. Oral treatment with acitretin and low-dose steroid led to complete resolution of the lesions within 10 weeks. This is the first well-documented case of isolated LP of the lip. Diagnostic difficulties and differential diagnosis are reviewed.     

Therapeutic management of oral lichen planus. Presentation of a representative case

The authors describe the more efficient therapeutical plans of oral lichen planus, reducing the tendency to relapse.     

Epithelial p53 gene expression and mutational analysis, combined with growth fraction assessment, in oral lichen planus

A study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between murmur intensity, murmur duration, duration to peak intensity and frequency components with degree of aortic stenosis in boxers. Measurements were made from phonocardiograms obtained from 35 boxers with ejection-type murmurs, and values were compared with those obtained for aortic flow velocity measured by Doppler echocardiography. Murmur intensity graded by auscultation was significantly correlated with aortic flow velocity (P < 0.001), and murmur duration, expressed as a percentage of systole was significantly correlated with aortic flow velocity (P < 0.001), independent of heart rate. Dogs with early systolic murmurs not exceeding 50 per cent of systole had aortic flow velocities of less than 1.5 m/second and no echocardiographic abnormalities, in contrast with dogs with murmurs of longer duration. Dogs with only high frequency components had lower aortic velocities than those that also had components in the medium frequency range (P < 0.01).     

Quantitative cellular and nuclear volumetric alterations in epithelium from lichen planus lesions of human buccal mucosa

Rifaximin, the active ingredient of an antibiotic cream, is a synthetic antibiotic derived from rifamycin and characterized by minimal absorption. In animals, no absorption was detected after topical application on the skin. The question as to whether there is detectable absorption in man by the same administration route is answered by this study in healthy volunteers. One gram of the cream containing 5% rifaximin was massaged on a sizable surface of skin prepared prior to application by mechanical abrasion. Rifaximin concentrations in blood and urine were then determined by means of HPLC-electrochemical-coulometrical detection. Concentrations in all samples being less than 2.5 ng/ml, the method's limit of detection, it is concluded that there is no detectable absorption in man. No adverse reactions were reported during this one day study. The results confirm studies performed in animals which showed that rifaximin is not absorbed and is well tolerated.     

Immunohistochemical and serological comparison of idiopathic and hepatitis C virus-associated forms of oral lichen planus

The oral form of the inflammatory disease lichen planus occurs spontaneously due to unknown aetiological factors. However, it has recently been observed to occur with increased frequency in patients infected with the hepatitis C virus. Because of the prominent role of adhesion molecules in immune cell interactions, we have compared the expression of these antigens in the hepatitis C virus-associated and idiopathic forms of the disease. The results show similar patterns of expression of very late activation antigen-4, lymphocyte function-associated antigen-3 and intercellular adhesion molecule-1, but relatively elevated levels of these antigens in oral lichen planus patients with no hepatitis C virus infection. In addition to differences in Langerhans cell distribution, serum levels of "soluble" intercellular adhesion molecule-1 as well as immunoglobulin G were significantly increased in the hepatitis C virus-associated group. These findings show that there are some differences in the lesional and systemic immune reactivities of the two types of oral lichen planus which may be related to possibly distinct pathogenic mechanisms.     

Serologic and molecular analysis of the HLA system in Israeli Jewish patients with oral erosive lichen planus

New wound care products are increasingly found in many PACUs. Understanding the basic principles of wound healing and being familiar with the different types of dressings is essential for PACU nurses. This article reviews the phases of wound care healing, do's and don'ts of wound management, wound debridement, and the types of dressings available.