The key difference between lichen planus and lupus erythematosus is that lichen planus is an autoimmune disorder that mainly affects the skin and mucous membranes, while lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disorder that mainly affects joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain heart, and lungs.
Lichen planus and lupus erythematosus are two autoimmune disorders where cytokines play a pivotal role in their pathogenesis. Cytokines are small proteins (peptides) that are very important in cell signalling. Normally these proteins cannot cross the lipid bilayer of the cells to enter the cytoplasm. Cytokines participate in autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine signalling. Cytokines include chemokines, interferon, lymphokines, and tumor necrosis factors.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Lichen Planus
3. What is Lupus Erythematosus
4. Similarities – Lichen Planus and Lupus Erythematosus
5. Lichen Planus vs Lupus Erythematosus in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Lichen Planus vs Lupus Erythematosus
What is Lichen Planus?
Lichen planus is a chronic inflammatory mucocutaneous disorder. It is a medical condition that can cause swelling and irritation in the skin, hair, nails, and mucous membranes. The signs and symptoms of the lichen planus may normally vary depending on the areas affected. The typical signs and symptoms of this condition include:
- Purplish flat bumps commonly on the inner forearm, wrist, ankle, or genitals
- Itching,
- Blisters that break to form scabs or crusts,
- Lacy white patches in the mouth, lips, or tongue,
- Painful sores in the mouth or vagina,
- Hair loss,
- Changing the scalp colour, and
- Nail damage or loss.
Lichen planus occurs when the immune system attacks the cells of the skin or mucous membranes. This condition is not contagious. Moreover, lichen planus can be triggered by hepatitis C infection, flu vaccine, certain pigments, chemicals, metals, pain relievers like ibuprofen and naproxen, certain medications for heart disease, high blood pressure, and arthritis. The complications resulting from this condition may include scars in the vulva or vagina, sexual dysfunction, and oral cancers.
Figure 01: Lichen Planus
Lichen planus can be diagnosed through medical history, physical examinations, biopsies, hepatitis C tests, and allergy tests. Furthermore, treatments for lichen planus include corticosteroids, oral anti-infection drugs, immune response drugs, antihistamines, light therapy, retinoids, lifestyle and home remedies like self-care measurements, and alternative medicines (herbal vitamin supplements).
What is Lupus Erythematosus?
Lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disorder that mainly affects joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, the brain, the heart, and lungs. It is a disorder that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues and organs. The most common signs and symptoms of this condition may include:
- Fatigue,
- Fever,
- Joint pain,
- Stiffness,
- Swelling,
- A butterfly-shaped rash on the face that covers cheeks or bridge of the nose,
- Skin lesions that appear with sun exposure,
- Fingers and toes that turn white,
- Shortness of breath,
- Chest pain,
- Dry eyes,
- Headaches,
- Confusion, and
- Memory loss.
The common triggers of this autoimmune condition include sunlight, infections, and medications (anti-seizure medications and antibiotics). Moreover, complications of lupus erythematosus include kidney damage, strokes, seizures, anemia, risk of bleeding or blood clotting, bleeding into the lungs, pneumonia, and cardiovascular disease.
Figure 02: Lupus Erythematosus
Lupus erythematosus can be diagnosed through physical examinations, blood tests, urine tests, imaging tests (chest X-ray, echocardiogram), and biopsies. Furthermore, medications commonly used to control lupus erythematosus include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-malarial drugs, corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and biologics. In addition to that, lifestyle and home remedies (avoid sunrays, get regular exercises, avoid smoking, eat healthily, get vitamin D and calcium supplements) and alternative medicines (dehydrepiandrosterone, fish oil, acupuncture) are also helpful to reduce the effect of lupus erythematosus.
What are the Similarities Between Lichen Planus and Lupus Erythematosus?
- Lichen planus and lupus erythematosus are two autoimmune disorders.
- They are two dermatoses (skin defects).
- Cytokines play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of both these diseases.
- Both these diseases can be diagnosed through physical examination.
- They can be treated through topical applications such as corticosteroids and lifestyle and home remedies.
What is the Difference Between Lichen Planus and Lupus Erythematosus?
Lichen planus is an autoimmune disorder that mainly affects the skin and mucous membranes, while lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disorder that mainly affects joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain heart, and lungs. Thus, this is the key difference between lichen planus and lupus erythematosus. Furthermore, lichen planus can be triggered by hepatitis C infection, flu vaccine, certain pigments, chemicals, metals, pain relievers like ibuprofen and naproxen, and certain medications for heart disease, high blood pressure, and arthritis. On the other hand, lupus erythematosus can be triggered by sunlight, infections, and medications (anti-seizure medications and antibiotics).
The below infographic presents the differences between lichen planus and lupus erythematosus in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Lichen Planus vs Lupus Erythematosus
Autoimmune disorders occur when the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues and organs. Lichen planus and lupus erythematosus are two autoimmune disorders. They are also two different types of dermatoses or skin defects. Lichen planus is an autoimmune disorder that mainly affects the skin and mucous membranes, while lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disorder that mainly affects joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain heart, and lungs. So, this is the key difference between lichen planus and lupus erythematosus.
Reference:
1. “Lichen Planus.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
2. Herndon, Jaime. “Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment.” Healthline, Healthline Media.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Lichen Planus (2)” By James Heilman, MD – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Butterfly rash of lupus erythematosus” By CNX OpenStax – (CC BY 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia