Association between vitamin D deficiency and oral lichen planus as a precancerous lesion

Background: Vitamin D is a pro-steroid hormone with multiple systemic functions, including immune system regulation. The effect of serum levels of this vitamin on the progression of several illnesses, including oral cancer and psoriasis, has been reported. This study investigated the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with oral lichen planus (OLP), an autoimmune disease and precancerous lesion. Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 30 healthy individuals and 30 patients with OLP. The serum levels of vitamin D were measured by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunoassay), and vitamin D amounts lower than 10 ng/mL, 10 to 29 ng/mL, and 30 to 100 ng/mL were considered deficient, insubstantial, and adequate, respectively. Data were analyzed by Shapiro-Wilk, student’s t-test, chi-square, and logistic regression using SPSS 24.0 software. Results: According to the results, 36.7% (n=11) of patients and 43.3% (n=13) of the control group had vitamin D deficiency. In logistic regression analysis, the association between OLP and vitamin D deficiency was insignificant (OR=0.71, 95% CI : 0.23– 2,20, P=0.548). Also, the correlation between age and vitamin D deficiency was insignificant (OR=0.96, 95% CI : 0.91–1.00, P=0.061), but the relationship between gender and vitamin D deficiency was significant (OR=4.2, 95% CI : 1.4–13.1, P=0.013), with a 4.2-fold higher chance of vitamin D deficiency in women compared to men. Conclusion: The current study did not reveal a substantial correlation between vitamin D deficiency and OLP. Therefore, it seems that more studies considering the type and duration of lichen planus and a higher number of samples are necessary to evaluate the function of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of OLP.