Epicardial fat tissue thickness is increased in patients with lichen planus and is linked to inflammation and dyslipidemia

Lichen Planus: What is New in Diagnosis and Treatment?

Lichen planus (LP), an idiopathic, multifaceted chronic inflammatory disease with a heterogeneous clinical presentation, affects approximately 0.5-1% of the population. The various clinical manifestations of LP fall into three broad categories, namely cutaneous, appendageal, and mucosal, with further subclassification depending on the morphology and distribution patterns of individual lesions. There is mounting evidence that LP has systemic associations, including autoimmune conditions, glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disorders. Cutaneous hypertrophic and mucosal forms of LP are at a heightened risk for malignant transformation. Familiarity with these potential associations in conjunction with long-term follow-up and regular screening could lead to a timely diagnosis and management of concomitant conditions. In addition, the frequent quality of life (QoL) impairment in LP underscores the need for a comprehensive approach including psychological evaluation and support. Several treatment strategies have been attempted, though most of them have not been adopted in clinical practice because of suboptimal benefit-to-risk ratios or lack of evidence. More recent studies toward pathogenesis-driven treatments have identified Janus kinase inhibitors such as tofacitinib, phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors such as apremilast, and biologics targeting the interleukin-23/interleukin-17 pathway as novel therapeutic options, resulting in a dramatic change of the treatment landscape of LP. This contemporary review focuses on the diagnosis and management of LP, and places emphasis on more recently described targeted treatment options.

Lipid Aberrations in Lichen Planus

Lichen planus (LP) is a dermatosis without a fully understood etiopathogenesis, the frequency of which is estimated to be less than 1% among the population. LP may involve the glabrous skin, mucosal membranes, scalp, nails and genital area. Nowadays, there are reports of its association with lipid homeostasis aberrations. In this review, we present the contemporary view of this matter. Dyslipidemia, especially hypertriglyceridemia, seems to be an actual problem in this group of patients, and along with abnormal arterial vessel parameters, indicates an increased risk of atherosclerosis in these subjects. Dermatologists should be attentive to this relationship and aware that the patients may develop different metabolic complications. More studies are required to establish clear guidelines on the management of lipid aberrations in lichen planus.

Echocardiographic assessment of epicardial fat tissue thickness in patients with severe periodontitis

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to assess the thickness of epicardial fat tissue (EFT), a sign of cardiovascular risk, using echocardiography in patients with severe periodontitis.

METHODS

Thirty-three patients with stage III or IV periodontitis and 33 healthy participants were enrolled into the study. Epicardial fat tissue thickness was measured perpendicularly via echocardiography of the free wall of the right ventricular at end-diastole in three cardiac cycles. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by the height in meters squared. EFT to BMI ratio (EFT/BMI) was measured by dividing EFT by the BMI.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between study patients and the control group as regards to the frequency of diabetes, hypertension, smoking, and hyperlipidemia. The EFT and EFT/ BMI ratio were significantly different in the control and periodontitis groups (0.51±0.17 vs. 0.77±0.16, respectively; p ≤0.001) (0.021±0.008 vs. 0.030±0.006, respectively; p≤0.001). Pearson's correlation coefficient demonstrated a significant relationship between EFT and the clinical parameters of periodontitis (p<0.001) CONCLUSIONS: EFT thickness measured by echocardiography appears to be associated with severe periodontitis and may thus be an indirect sign of cardiovascular disease in periodontitis patients.

Epicardial adipose tissue, inflammatory biomarkers and COVID-19: Is there a possible relationship?

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Adipose tissue is a biologically active organ with pro-immunogenic properties.

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Inflammation plays a major role in the pathogenesis and progression of COVID-19.

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Data representing status of inflammation could convey useful prognostic information.

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EAT volume was significantly correlated with other systemic inflammatory biomarkers.

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This correlation might explain the more severe disease in obese patients with COVID-19.

Background & Aims

Adipose tissue is a biologically active organ with pro-immunogenic properties. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) in COVID-19 and its correlation with other inflammatory biomarkers.

Material and Methods

One-hundred patients with COVID-19 were enrolled. C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-CRP ratio (LCR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were evaluated on admission. EAT volume and density were measured by computed tomography. Patients were followed until death or discharge. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed and ROC curve analysis was used to assess the ability of inflammatory markers in predicting survival. The relationship between EAT and other inflammatory markers was also investigated.

Results

The mean ± SD age of patients was 55.5 ± 15.2 years old; 68% were male. Univariate analysis revealed that increased lung involvement, blood urea nitrogen, LDH and NLR, and decreased platelet count were significantly associated with death. After adjustment, LDH was independently predictive of death (OR = 1.013, p-value = 0.03). Among inflammatory markers, LCR had the best ability for predicting survival with 79.7% sensitivity and 64.3% specificity at an optimal cut-off value of 20.8 (AUC = 0.744, 95% CI = 0.612–0.876, p-value = 0.004). EAT volume demonstrated positive correlation with NLR and PLR (p = 0.001 and 0.01), and a negative correlation with LCR (p = 0.02). EAT density was significantly different between decedents and survivors (p = 0.008).

Conclusion

Routine laboratory tests that represent status of inflammation can be used as cost-effective prognostic markers of COVID-19. Also, the significant association between EAT volume and other inflammatory biomarkers might explain the more severe disease in obese patients.

Comparison of serum lipid parameters between patients with classic cutaneous lichen planus and oral lichen planus

OBJECTIVES

Previous studies have shown that patients with lichen planus (LP) have an increased occurrence of inflammation-related dyslipidemia. Although classic cutaneous LP (CCLP) and oral LP (OLP) are basically known as the different subtypes of the same disease sharing the common histopathological features, they actually have significant differences both in the clinical behavior and in the molecular inflammatory pathogenesis. We aimed to compare the lipid profile of patients with CCLP and OLP.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study included 120 patients, 30 with isolated CCLP, 30 with isolated OLP, 30 with CCLP + OLP, and 30 controls consecutively admitted to the outpatient clinics of Dermatology Department of Dokuz Eylul University Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.

RESULTS

Triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) values, TC/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and LDL-C/HDL-C atherogenic indexes were significantly higher, and HDL-C values were significantly lower in all LP subtypes compared with the controls. Among LP subtypes, although the differences were not statistically significant, TG, TC, and LDL-C values were markedly higher in OLP and OLP + CCLP patients compared with CCLP patients. OLP and CCLP + OLP patients also showed significantly higher TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C atherogenic indexes compared with CCLP patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with OLP have a more impaired lipid metabolism and significantly higher atherogenic indexes compared with patients with CCLP. The differences in the molecular inflammatory pathways between OLP and CCLP and the longer disease duration of OLP leading to long-lasting inflammation may elucidate this distinction.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

We recommend to pay close attention to the early recognition of coexisting atherogenic dyslipidemia and to apply the early protective measures against the development of cardiovascular disease in OLP patients.

Metabolic Syndrome and Dyslipidemia among Nigerians with Lichen Planus: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background:

Lichen planus (LP) is an inflammatory skin disease of unknown etiology associated with chronic inflammation, oxidative stress induction, and cardiovascular risk factors.

Objectives:

To document the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), dyslipidemia, and associated factors in Nigerian patients with LP.

Methods:

A cross-sectional design was made to evaluate 90 patients with LP and 90 controls for MetS and dyslipidemia in two Nigerian teaching hospitals. Diagnosis of LP was made with the aid of histology, and MetS and dyslipidemia were diagnosed using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria.

Results:

The prevalence of MetS was insignificantly higher in LP than in control (18.9% vs. 13.5, P = 0.311), and dyslipidemia was significantly associated with LP (60% vs. 40%, P = 0.007). LP was associated with higher mean of serum triglyceride (1.21 ± 0.34 vs. 1.08 ± 0.32 mmol/L, P = 0.003), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (3.47 ± 0.89 vs. 3.12 ± 0.77 mmol/L, P = 0.007), and T-cholesterol (5.32 ± 0.88 vs. 4.92 ± 0.86, P = 0.002). LP patients with MetS were older (P < 0.001) and less likely to have Wickham's striae (P = 0.028) compared to those without MetS. Female LP patients were older (P = 0.047), obese (P = 0.043), and had insignificant increase in MetS prevalence compared to the males. Hypertrophic LP was more frequent in patients with dyslipidemia (63.0% vs. 27.8%, P = 0.002), and the family history of diabetes mellitus (DM) was an independent predictor of MetS in LP patients (odds ratio: 4.4, confidence interval: 1.0–19.1, P = 0.047).

Limitation:

Availability of fund is a significant factor that limited the sample size to the minimum required as always in a poor-resource setting.

Conclusions:

LP has an insignificant association with MetS and a significant association with dyslipidemia among Nigerians. The family history of DM is an independent predictor of MetS in LP patients. LP patients should be routinely screened for MetS and its components.