[Lichen planus and hepatitis C virus infection. Study of 6 cases]

Lichen planus is an inflammatory dermatosis that has been associated to different chronic hepatopaties with a variable frequency. In recent years several case reports have been published dealing with lichen planus and its association to hepatitis C virus infection. We report six patients with lichen planus (four males, two females; aged 30-75) who also suffered a chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Lichen planus was confirmed by biopsy and viral infection was based on ELISA and RIBA-4 tests in all patients and also on PCR in five of them. A patient had also been diagnosed of porphyria cutanea tarda. Two patients were treated with alfa-Interferon. It did not modify the evolution of their lichen planus. We recommend to search for hepatitis C virus infection in lichen planus patients and also look for lichen planus patients suffering of chronic hepatopathies to improve our knowledge of the possible relation between both diseases.