Vulvar-vaginal-gingival-otic syndrome

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Otolaryngology
• Gynecology

Background:

• Erosive lichen planus (ELP) can affect multiple sites, but patterns of involvement are not fully understood.
• Otic lichen planus, affecting the ear canal, is rarely reported.
• Vulvovaginal-gingival syndrome is a recognized manifestation of ELP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To retrospectively analyze the multi-site involvement patterns in patients with erosive lichen planus.
• To investigate the co-occurrence of otic involvement with vulvovaginal-gingival ELP.
• To propose a new syndrome encompassing these specific sites of ELP.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of clinical and medical data from three patients with ELP.
• Detailed documentation of affected sites, including vulva, vagina, gingiva, and ear canal.
• Literature review to assess the prevalence of otic lichen planus.

Main Results:

• Confirmed the existence of otic lichen planus.
• Found otic lichen planus to be more common in patients presenting with vulvovaginal-gingival syndrome.
• Identified a specific pattern of multi-site involvement across these four areas.

Conclusions:

• Otic lichen planus is a recognized entity, often associated with vulvovaginal-gingival ELP.
• Propose the term 'vulvovaginal-gingival-otic syndrome' to describe this rare, compound pattern of erosive lichen planus.
• This classification may aid in recognizing and managing this specific ELP manifestation.