ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Stomatologica 2001 June;50(6):213-8

Copyright © 2001 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Geographic tongue (migrant glossitis) and psoriasis

Femiano F.

Background. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of geographic tongue to psoriasis.
Methods. We report a comparative study on two groups of patients: the first (20 patients) with cutaneous psoriasis and lesions of the oral mucosa similar to geographic tongue; the second (20 patients), with benign migratory glossitis only. Biopsy samples of the lingual mucosa were taken from both groups.
Results. The histologic examination of oral biopsies from the first groups showed typical features of psoriasis. The second group showed the same features of psoriasis in 80% of patients.
Conclusions. The clinical and histopathologic findings support the hypothesis that migrant glossitis can be considered an expression of oral psoriasis.