Organ-specific antibodies in patients with lichen sclerosus

Organ-specific antibodies were looked for in 26 patients with lichen sclerosus. Ten of the 25 female patients (40%) had organ-specific antibodies to thyroid cytoplasm and 11 (44%) had organ-specific antibodies to gastric parietal cells. Both values were significantly greater than those obtained in age-matched controls. None of the sera from patients with lichen sclerosus contained antibodies to steroid-producing tissues. No organ-specific antibodies were found in the one male patient.The findings suggest that lichen sclerosus may be related to an autoimmune process.