Immunome Research
Open Access

Abstract

Contact Allergy and Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus

Björk AK, Svedman C, Asplund H, Lingärde S, Hindsén M, Hradil E and Bruze M

Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus is a chronic inflammatory disorder that can involve skin and mucosa with a predilection for genital skin. Women with the disease have an affected vaginal mucosa that often needs prolonged treatment with topical steroids. Investigating the contact allergy rates to sensitizers and to compare these frequencies with those in a control group.

41 women, (mean age 59.5 years; range 31-86 years) with Genital Lichen Sclerosus (GLS) and 40 women in a control group (mean age 65.5 years; range 26-81 years).

The participants were tested with a patch test series based on the Swedish baseline series and a modified dental series. Before patch testing, the subjects filled in a questionnaire regarding local symptoms, exposure to metals and dental restorative materials.

The study was performed in a blinded manner.

The two study groups had almost the same number of positive patch test reactions. Participants in the GLS group had positive reactions to several more allergens, than the control group. Among 41 women in the GLS group there were positive reactions to 21 substances compared to 14 substances in the control group of 40 women. No association was found to contact allergy to allergens known to give rise to systemic reactions or allergens that could imply a relationship to topically applied substances.

Due to the facts that the material is small, the patients usually had long ongoing disease with much subjective symptoms severe impact on quality of life and objective symptoms, we still believe that the routine of patch testing patients with newly diagnosed GLS, or a GLS that suddenly deteriorates, is important to exclude possible aggravating factors such as contact allergy.