Serum Concentration of Vitamin D in Patients with Oral Lichen Planus

The vitamin D receptor is involved in immunologically mediated diseases such as oral lichen planus. Some studies suggest an association between lower vitamin D concentrations and a higher risk of inflammatory conditions such as oral lichen planus. The aim of this study was to investigate 1) whether there is a difference in serum vitamin D concentration in patients with oral lichen planus compared to patients in the control group, 2) whether there is a difference in serum vitamin D concentration in patients with erosive compared to non-erosive forms of oral lichen planus, 3) whether there is a difference in serum vitamin D concentration in patients with developed oral cancer and those without cancer.

The study included 68 patients, 34 with oral lichen planus and 34 healthy controls. Fasting venous blood was taken from each participant to determine serum concentrations of vitamin D.

The T-test results confirmed a statistically significant lower serum vitamin D concentration in patients with oral lichen planus compared to the control group (p=0.001). According to the results, a statistically significant lower serum vitamin D concentration was found in patients with erosive form OLP. All five patients with oral cancer, which was developed from erosive OLP, had low serum vitamin D concentrations.

Determination of serum vitamin D concentration could be important for monitoring OLP patients to prevent the development of severe clinical manifestations of erosive OLP and the conversion of symptomatic lesions to oral cancer.