The Serum Evaluation of Sex Hormones Including DHEAs, DHT, Testosterone in Oral Lichen Planus Patients

Background: Lichen planus (LP), an inflammatory and chronic disorder, is immune-mediated and influences nails, skin, hair, and mucosal tissues. Autoimmune diseases affect females more commonly, and it is reported that there is an association between certain sex hormones and autoimmune diseases. Methods: This study aims to evaluate the serum levels of DHT, Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEAs), and testosterone (T) in patients who have oral lichen planus (OLP) compared to healthy people. Forty female patients diagnosed with OLP were selected. They were considered to have the same mean age as 40 patients in the control group. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay investigated Androgens' serum levels (Monobomal kit, Sherkat Azmayeshgah Bartar). Results: The age mean 51.90 ±11.52 for the patient group and 49.10 ± 11.63 for the control group. Erosive LP was the most common subtype of LP, 72.5% of LP lesions. The differences between DHEAs (p-value=0.126), DHT (p-value =0.710), and T’s serum level (p-value =0.376) groups were not significant. There was no difference between hormonal levels during menopause and the non-menopause group. Conclusions: There was no correlation between OLP and androgens. DHEAs, DHT, and T levels were not different between case and control groups; therefore, the results did not support any neuroendocrine etiology for OLP. Also, there was no change in these androgens’ serum levels during the transition from pre-menopause to post-menopause. Trial registration: The study adhered to the ethical principles of the Helsinki Declaration (2002 version) and received approval from the ethics committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran (IR.SUMS.REC.1397.709).