COMMON ORAL MUCOSAL LESIONS IN PATIENTS WITH OR WITHOUT CHRONIC VIRAL HEPATITIS

Background Oral mucosal bullous, desquamative ulcerative diseases involve immunopathologic mechanisms that account for loss of adhesion between contiguous keratinocytes or to structures within the basal lamina. Objective To study and understand the etiology and pathogenicity of the oral mucosal lesions in patients with or without chronic viral hepatitis. Methods Five patients were selected to make the clinical and morphopathologic diagnosis by biopsy of the affected tissue. Three had chronic viral hepatitis. Results Five patients (4 female and 1 male) were diagnosed with oral mucosal lesion. Three had oral lichen planus, 1 had a lichenoid reaction, and 1 had focal (frictional) hyperkeratosis with nicotine stomatitis of hard palate and smoking-associated melanosis. Common lesions were minimal clinical symptomatic lesions on the cheeks, extending to the lateral parts of the tongue, gums, and lips. General status of the patients is distinguished by numerous general chronic diseases including viral chronic hepatitis, erythematous gastritis, reactive arthritis, and vegetative nervous dysfunction. Conclusions Oral lichenoid reactions represent a common endpoint in response to extrinsic agents, altered self‐antigens, or superantigens. Oral lichen planus, a common inflammatory disorder with an unidentified etiology, shares many clinical and histopathologic features with oral lichenoid drug reaction and oral lichenoid contact reaction. Oral lichenoid reactions represent a common endpoint in response to extrinsic agents, altered self‐antigens, or superantigens. Clinical presentation can vary from asymptomatic white reticular striae to painful erythema and erosions. Most immunopathologic oral mucosal diseases have the risk of malignancy and require special attention.