Serum vitamin D and antinuclear antibody level in oral lichen planus patients: a cross-sectional study

Vitamin D is a secosteroid prohormone that regulates the immune system. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) is a protein antibody made against substances inside the nucleus of cells. Serum vitamin D and ANA levels progress to psoriasis and oral cancer. The present study aimed to measure the serum vitamin D and ANA levels in patients with oral lichen planus (OLP), an autoimmune and precancerous disease.

We conducted this cross-sectional study on patients with OLP (n=50) and healthy individuals (n=50). We used the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method to measure serum vitamin D and ANA levels and Mann-Whitney U-test and t-test to analyze data.

The present study showed that 14 (28%) patients with OLP had vitamin D deficiency, and 18 (36%) had insufficient vitamin D. Further, 9 (18%) and 15 (30%) of the participants in the control group suffer from vitamin D deficiency and insufficient vitamin D level, respectively. Results showed a significant relationship between levels of serum vitamin D in both groups. The level of ANA positive in patients with OLP was 6 (12%). The results of the t-test showed no significant difference between the mean serum ANA levels in the two nodes with an 80% confidence interval (P=0.34).

Researchers of the present study reported low serum vitamin D in many OLP patients. Due to the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in society, we need to perform comprehensive studies to evaluate the deficiency's effects on pathogenesis.