LAUSR

Lichen planus (LP) is an autoimmune chronic inflammatory disease. Interleukin 10 (IL-10) can inhibit the synthesis of pre-inflammatory cytokines. Regarding the role of inflammatory cytokines in lichen planus patients, evaluating the serums level of IL-10 in such patients can declare the potential role of this cytokine. In this study, 44 serum samples from patients with lichen planus and 44 serum samples from healthy participants were collected during 2015–2016. The patients with clinical or histopathological confirmation for oral lichen planus (OLP) were included in the case group, and the healthy patients were recruited in the control group. The serum level of IL-10 was measured by ELISA kits. In this cross-sectional study between 2015 and 2016, the serum level of IL-10 was measured in 53 females (60.22%) and 35 males (39.77%). In the lichen planus group, 44 subjects and in the control group, 44 healthy participants were enrolled. The mean serum level of IL-10 in oral lichen planus patients was reported as 3.68 ± 3.44 pg/ml and this was 0 ± 0 pg/ml in the healthy control group. The mean serum level of IL-10 in oral lichen planus patients was significantly more than the mean serum level of IL-10 in the control participants (P = 0.042).There was no relation between serum level of IL-10 in OLP patients and age (P = 0.771) and sex (P = 0.547) of participants. The findings indicated significant difference between the serum level of IL-10 and types of oral lichen planus lesions (P < 0.001). This study indicated that significant elevation of IL-10 in OLP patients might be important in immunomodulating of this disease, although the exact mechanism is not clear.