There are several studies showing the link between lichen planus (LP) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, the mechanisms involved are incompletely elucidated. Investigating the implication of oxidative stress could shed some light on LP pathogenesis and its link with HCV infection. We have enrolled 12 LP patients with HCV infection (group A), 12 patients without LP, with HCV infection (group B), 31 LP patients without HCV infection (group C), and 26 healthy subjects (control group - group D). We have evaluated the total antioxidant status (TAS) and malondialdehyde level (MDA) as a marker of oxidative stress resulted from lipid peroxidation, using the spectrophotometric method. Only patients with inactive hepatitis were included. The serum TAS levels were lower in group A (234.50 ±47.83 µmol/L), group B (255.83±39.65 µmol/L) and group C (269.83 ±42.63 µmol/L) compared to group D (316.46 ±28.76 µmol/L), p <0.05. In addition, we have determined higher serum MDA levels in group A (4.54 ± 0.59 µmol/L), group B (4.43 ± 0.48 µmol/L) and group C (4.23 ± 0.59 µmol/L) compared to group D (1.99 ± 0.23 µmol/L), p<0.05. Thus, we have observed a progressive decrease in serum TAS levels and a progressive increase in serum MDA levels in the studied groups, starting with group D. These results suggest that an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants is involved in both LP and HCV infection, which increases when the two diseases are associated.

The role of HCV infection on the redox balance in lichen planus patients