Lichen Planus and Other Cutaneous Manifestations in Chronic Hepatitis C: Pre- and Post-Interferon-Based Treatment Prevalence in a Cohort from a Low Hepatitis C Virus Endemic Area

The study conducted in Slovenia assessed the prevalence of lichen planus (LP) and other skin conditions such as pruritus, dry skin, and hair loss in 171 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection compared to 171 HCV-seronegative controls. It was found that LP was present in 2.3% of HCV-seropositive patients, which was not significantly higher than in controls. However, pruritus, dry skin, and hair loss were significantly more common in HCV-seropositive patients, particularly after interferon (IFN)-based treatment. Specifically, hair loss was not observed in treatment-naïve patients or controls but was present in 7.7% of patients on current treatment and 22.4% of previously treated patients. The study concluded that while LP was not significantly associated with HCV infection, IFN-based treatment was significantly correlated with an increased prevalence of pruritus, dry skin, and hair loss, suggesting that these skin manifestations may persist after treatment and that patients undergoing IFN-based treatment should be closely monitored for these conditions.