Focal epithelial hyperplasia of the oral mucosa in a south‐west Greenlandic population

Abstract

Abstract— Focal epithelial hyperplasia of the oral mucosa was found in 19.4% of 460 inhabitants of an Eskimo population in south‐west Greenland (Nanortalik). The condition was found in all age groups examined, the youngest person with focal epithelial hyperplasia being 2 years old, the oldest 70 years old. There was a statistically significant higher prevalence (33.1%) in the age group above 30 years old than in the age group below 30 years old (14.3%). No significant difference in prevalence could be found between women (17.3%) and men (21.8%). None of 26 Danish Caucasians examined had focal epithelial hyperplasia. The predilection of locations of the focal epithelial hyperplasias was quite different from that previously published. More than 50 % of the lesions were located to tongue; next in frequency were labial mucosa of lower lip, buccal mucosa, commissures, upper lip, and gingiva. None was found in the palate. In many cases the lesions appeared in more than one location in the same patient.

Association of HLA-DR4 (DRB1*0404) With Human Papillomavirus Infection in Patients With Focal Epithelial Hyperplasia

“…2,4,6,17,18,29,30 The time course of the disease is difficult to establish, since the lesions are usually asymptomatic 7 ; however, in this study, evolution time ranged from 1 month to 34 years. In other reports, evolution time usually ranged from a few months, or even weeks, to a few years.…”

Geographical Aspects of Oral Focal Epithelial Hyperplasia

“…In American Indians the hyperplasias have predominantly been found in children between 3 and 18 years [12-14, 16, 39, 43] although they have been observed in grown-up persons as well [11,26], In Eskimos the dis order has been found in all age groups and the highest prevalences have been found in the age groups above 30 years [9]. Some investigators have found differences in the prevalence among the two sexes [3], others have not [9], The predominating locations of the lesions in American Indians have been [16] -in order of frequency -mucosa of the lower lip, buccal mucosa, commissures, and labial mucosa of the upper lip.…”

“…Some investigators have found differences in the prevalence among the two sexes [3], others have not [9], The predominating locations of the lesions in American Indians have been [16] -in order of frequency -mucosa of the lower lip, buccal mucosa, commissures, and labial mucosa of the upper lip. In Eskimos [9], however, more than 50% of the lesions are located to the tongue.…”

“…Cases in Indians have been diagnosed in Paraguay [15], Bolivia [11. 19] [10] in Alaska, by J arvis and Gorlin [23,24] in Canada and by Pr/ETORIUS-Clausen et al [9,31] in Greenland. The dis order has been described much earlier in the Eskimos in Greenland [20,25] but no diagnosis was given.…”

Multifocal epithelial hyperplasia: A potentially precancerous disease? (Review)

“…Furthermore, in contrast to previous studies, they found that the disease could also appear in adults, with an overall age range of 2 to 79 years, and that more than 50% of lesions were localized on the tongue (49). In a similar study, Henke et al found no significant gender or age differences and confirmed the possible presence of the disease in adults, reporting an age range for sufferers of 22 to 85 years (50).…”