Vulvar lichen sclerosus: an immunologic study.

Objective: To investigate the seroimmunologic (CD3, CD4, CD8 lymphocytes, C3c and C4 complement fractions, and several autoantibodies) and immunohistochemical (T lymphocyte subpopulations, B lymphocytes, natural killer cells, macrophages, immunoglobulin [Ig] G, Ig M, and C3c complement fraction) characteristics of vulvar lichen sclerosus.

Methods: Serum samples from 68 women with histologically proven lichen sclerosus were compared with those from 53 healthy controls, and tissue samples from 14 of 68 women chosen at random were compared with those from 14 of 53 healthy controls. A scoring system was constructed to compare the number of cells in the tissue.

Immunological study of vulvar lichen sclerosus: preliminary considerations.

Sclero-atrophic lichen (LSA) is a dermatosis that is well defined from the clinical and histological viewpoints, but the etiology remains unknown. The main symptom is a permanent pruritus which results in a gynecological consultation. We have studied the immunological status of 48 patients with LSA and 33 controls.