BIOCHEMICAL AND CYTOLOGICAL CHANGES IN ORAL FLUID IN PATIENTS WITH LICHEN PLANUS

Red lichen planus of the oral mucosa is one of the most common keratoses, and it’s frequency according to various authors is up to 35% of all diseases of the oral mucosa and 1.5% among dermatological diseases. Nowadays, there is no hypothesis about the etiology and pathogenesis of red lichen planus. Many authors distinguish several theories of the disease: neurogenic, intoxication, infectious, immunological, hereditary, membrane-destructive and with various comorbidities. A clinical and biological study of patients with red lichen planus in the first days of exacerbation were done. The research presents the results of biochemical and morphological examinations of oral fluid in the first days of the disease. It is shown that in the first days of exacerbation the activity of hydrolytic enzymes, increased migration of leukocytes into the oral cavity, and increased desquamation of the epithelium of the oral mucosa take place. The obtained results of the research testify in favor of the membrane-destructive theory of red lichen planus occurrence. Key words: red lichen planus, oral fluid, enzymes, leukocytes, epithelial cells.