Original articles
SERUM ANTIOXIDANT STATUS IN LICHEN PLANUS PATIENTS

Summary


Based on the most recent developments in literature,
lichen planus is considered an inflammatory disease,
associated with autoimmune imbalances, hepatitis C virus
infection, oxidative stress, antioxidant deficiency. The
objective of this paper is to establish a panel of serum
antioxidants which play a putative role in disease
onset/persistence. The assessment of several extracellular
antioxidants (bilirubin, uric acid, albumin, iron, transferrin,
ferritin, copper, ceruloplasmin, total antioxidant
capacity) in lichen planus patients during lesion flare
showed a significant impairment of non-enzymatic antioxidant
systems. Hepatitis C virus enhances antioxidant
deficiency in lichen planus patients. Based on these
findings, the authors deem lichen planus to be a complex
disease, whose causes often remain unidentified and
pathogenesis has not been cleared up. The potential
involvement of several mutually enhancing mechanisms in
the onset and progression of lichen planus is acceptable.