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Actinic lichen planus (ALP) is a rare variant of lichen planus in which lichen planus develops on the light-exposed areas of the skin. ALP is reported to occur in the African, Middle Eastern,and Indian populations, with very few cases reported in Caucasians. Here, we report a case of ALP in a Japanese man; to the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported occurrence of ALP in the East Asian population. A 52-year-old Japanese man developed recurrent painful annular erythema on the face and hands. Histopathological examination of his skin biopsy revealed lichenoid-type infiltrates of lymphocytes and histiocytes. We established a diagnosis of ALP on the basis of the distribution of eruptions only on the sunlight-exposed areas and histological findings. Oral administration of systemic steroids proved effective in improving his condition. Lichen planus is known to be induced by an irritant (Koebner phenomenon);we believe that our patient is genetically susceptible to sunlight exposure and that sunlight acted as an irritant stimulating the development of ALP.

Background and Aim: Hepatitis viruses induce not only chronic liver diseases but also the impairment of other organs and tissues as extrahepatic manifestations. In particular, hepatitis C virus (HCV) is involved in various extrahepatic manifestations. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and lichen planus (LP) involvement, which are various extrahepatic manifestations in patients with liver diseases related to hepatitis B virus (HBV) or HCV., Methods: We examined a total of 110 Japanese patients with chronic liver disease: 29 with HBV infections and 81 HCV infections., Results: The prevalence of SS according to European and Japanese criteria in patients with chronic HCV infection was significantly higher than in patients with chronic HBV infection (European criteria: 25.9 vs 3.4%; P < 0.05, Japanese criteria: 21.0 vs 3.4%; P = 0.05). Lichen planus was observed in one (3.4%) of 29 patients with chronic HBV infection, and in 11 (13.6%) of 81 patients with chronic HCV infection. Simultaneously combined LP and SS occurred in 8.6% (seven of 81) of patients with HCV infection, but in none with HBV infection., Conclusions: Clinicians should routinely follow the HCV-infected patients, paying sufficient attention to the presence of SS and LP, and they should also carefully monitor their prognosis.

A 33-year-old male consulted us with symptoms of band-like infiltration, thickenning and subcutaneous induration occurring in the face, chest, back, shoulder and upper extremities. In the following time he developed arthralgia, fever and ocular symptoms. Laboratory tests revealed normal thyroid functions and a normal bone marrow picture, but there were immunological abnormalities such as reduced cellular immunity, decrease in C 3 (beta 1c/la) and positive antinuclear antibody. Histologically, there was an increase in fibroblasts and deposits of hyaluronic acid were revealed histochemically. A diagnosis of lichen myxedematosus was established. At present, all symptoms and signs including skin rash have disappeared following corticosteroid therapy and the patient is being followed up. So far as we have been able to trace, reports on lichen myxedematosus associated with immunological abnormalities as described here have not been found. The relationship between this pathology and immunological abnormalities are discussed.