Demographic analysis of oral lichen planus presentations to Auckland Oral Medicine Clinic from 1999 to 2006.

AIM: The objective of this study was to describe the demographic characteristics of a case series of patients with a clinical and histopathological diagnosis of oral lichen planus who presented to the Oral Health Unit (Auckland District Health Board) between the years 1999 and 2006 (an 8-year period).

METHOD: The records of patients who had a clinical and histopathological diagnosis of oral lichen planus were audited. Demographic (age, gender, ethnicity), clinical and histopathological data were collated. Patients whose ethnicity was not recorded were noted but not included in this part of the analysis.

RESULTS

Between 1999 and 2006, 267 patients (82 males, 185 females; age range 21 to 93 years) had a clinical and histopathological diagnosis of oral lichen planus. Ethnicity data were available for 207 of those, of whom 108 (52.2%) were European; 65 (31.4%) of Indian subcontinent origin (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka); 20 (9.7%) were Asian; 14 (6.8%) were Pacific Islanders; 50 (24.2%) were 'Other'; and 10 (4.8%) were 'Unknown'. None was Maori.

CONCLUSION

The age and gender distribution in this case series were similar to that observed in a comparable UK study. The major findings were in the ethnic distribution of oral lichen planus in the sample, with patients of Indian subcontinent origin being over-represented, and Māori being under-represented.