Two sisters with glossitis and esophageal stenosis

Key words: Lichen planus, Glossitis, Esophageal stenosis, Oral mucosal lesions

The Authors present the case of an 11-year-old Eritrean girl with a 3-year history of glossitis and dysphagia due to esophageal stenosis, eating difficulty and risk of malnutrition. After an extensive workout the diagnosis of Lichen Planus (LP) was made. Retrospectively the same diagnosis was then made also for her sister who had esophageal stenosis without oral active lesions. LP is a chronic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology affecting mainly skin and the involvement of mucous membranes, hairs and nails is also possible. Although relatively common in adults, it is a rare disease in childhood, and only a few cases are reported in literature. Lichen Planus should be considered in the differential diagnosis of oral mucosal white patches in children, particularly those of Asian and African origins.