IL6 Is Correlated With Metabolic Syndrome Parameters in Oral Lichen Planus

The study, conducted between August 2014 and January 2015, compared 18 patients with oral lichen planus (OLP) to 18 control patients with other inflammatory oral conditions, examining the correlation between serum IL6 levels and metabolic syndrome parameters. Results indicated a direct correlation between IL6 and insulin, glucose, and cholesterol levels, particularly in erosive forms of OLP, suggesting that high IL6 may signal increased cardiovascular risk. This implies that IL6 could be a therapeutic target, as seen in other inflammatory conditions. The study also found that high IL6 levels were present in one-third of OLP patients versus 5.5% in controls, reinforcing the chronic inflammatory nature of OLP. Due to the small sample size, the authors recommend further research with larger cohorts and additional cytokines to better understand OLP and potential treatments.