Background: Stress and anxiety have frequently been mentioned as possible factors related to the development of oral lichen planus (OLP), although this association remains controversial. Objective: To determine whether anxiety and depression constitute risk factors in the development of OLP. Material and Methods: Eighty patients diagnosed as having OLP were studied: anxiety was evaluated by the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and depression with the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale. The results were contrasted with those obtained in a control series of the same number of subjects (n = 80) matched for age and sex. Results: Significantly greater anxiety and depression were observed among patients with OLP than in the control group. Odds ratios of 2.8 and 4.4 were obtained for anxiety and depression, respectively. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that anxiety and depression constitute risk factors that could influence the development of OLP.

Keywords:
Lichen planus, Risk factors, Anxiety, Depression
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2001
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