Dulska Agnieszka, Bodziony Jakub, Janik Marta, Drosdzol-Cop Agnieszka
Chair and Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Oncological Gynecology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Markiefki 87, 40-211 Katowice, Poland.
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medyków 18, 40-752 Katowice, Poland.
Children (Basel). 2024 Feb 16;11(2):255. doi: 10.3390/children11020255.
Vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS), a chronic inflammatory skin disorder, often coexists with autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). VLS presents with subtle symptoms including vulvar itching and discomfort. Clinically, a "Figure 8" pattern involving the labia minora, clitoral hood, and perianal region is often observed. It is prevalent both in pre-pubertal girls and women aged 40-60, and the link between VLS and AITD remains unclear, with proposed causes including autoimmune, hormonal or genetic factors, and environmental triggers. This study addresses the lack of research on the association in children, aiming to investigate the largest group of underage girls to date.
This study aimed to investigate the coexistence of thyroid autoimmune diseases in girls diagnosed with vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS) and to assess the presence of antibodies for specific thyroid autoimmune diseases.
Our study was conducted from July 2020 to February 2021, involving a sample of 55 girls aged 2-18 years old, all free from systemic diseases. The study group comprised 20 girls previously diagnosed with vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS), while the control group included 35 girls without VLS. Legal guardians completed questionnaires detailing the medical history of their children. Blood samples were collected from all participants and subjected to biochemical analysis. The presence of human IgG antibodies against thyroid peroxidase and IgG antibodies against thyroglobulin was assessed using the immunoenzymatic method with commercially available ELISA kits.
In the study group, common symptoms included itching, soreness, burning sensation, excoriation, and erythema or pallor of the skin and perineal mucosa. An evaluation of anti-thyroglobulin and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies revealed no statistical significance between the study and control groups (anti-TG = 0.379, anti-TPO = 0.96). Family history of autoimmune diseases showed no significant correlation with anti-thyroid antibodies in girls. Although no significant relation between VLS occurrence and antibody levels was found, it emphasizes the need for multidisciplinary medical care. Further research with larger patient groups is necessary.
外阴硬化性苔藓（VLS）是一种慢性炎症性皮肤病，常与自身免疫性甲状腺疾病（AITD）共存。VLS表现为细微症状，包括外阴瘙痒和不适。临床上，常观察到一种累及小阴唇、阴蒂包皮和肛周区域的“8字形”图案。它在青春期前女孩和40 - 60岁女性中都很常见，VLS与AITD之间的联系仍不清楚，其可能病因包括自身免疫、激素或遗传因素以及环境触发因素。本研究针对儿童中该关联研究的缺乏，旨在调查迄今为止最大规模的未成年女孩群体。
本研究旨在调查诊断为外阴硬化性苔藓（VLS）的女孩中甲状腺自身免疫性疾病的共存情况，并评估特定甲状腺自身免疫性疾病抗体的存在情况。
我们的研究于2020年7月至2021年2月进行，涉及55名2至18岁的女孩样本，所有女孩均无全身性疾病。研究组包括20名先前诊断为外阴硬化性苔藓（VLS）的女孩，而对照组包括35名无VLS的女孩。法定监护人填写了详细记录其子女病史的问卷。从所有参与者采集血样并进行生化分析。使用市售ELISA试剂盒通过免疫酶法评估抗甲状腺过氧化物酶的人IgG抗体和抗甲状腺球蛋白的IgG抗体的存在情况。
在研究组中，常见症状包括瘙痒、酸痛、烧灼感、皮肤擦伤以及皮肤和会阴黏膜的红斑或苍白。抗甲状腺球蛋白和抗甲状腺过氧化物酶抗体的评估显示，研究组和对照组之间无统计学意义（抗TG = 0.379，抗TPO = 0.96）。自身免疫性疾病家族史与女孩的抗甲状腺抗体无显著相关性。虽然未发现VLS发生与抗体水平之间存在显著关系，但强调了多学科医疗护理的必要性。有必要对更大的患者群体进行进一步研究。
