Oral pigmented lesions in syndromic individuals: A systematic review

Objective: To systematically integrate the available data published in the literature on oral pigmented lesions (OPL) associated with syndromes, summarizing the clinical and demographic features of the individuals.

Materials and methods: An electronic search was undertaken in six databases. Eligibility criteria were articles in English, Spanish, and Portuguese describing case reports or case series of OPL associated with syndromes. Data were aggregated and statistically evaluated.

Results: About 108 articles reporting 149 cases of individuals with syndromes were identified. Among the affected individuals, nine syndromes were reported. The mean age at diagnosis was 35.93 years (0.41 to 83 years), with a predilection for white (n = 85/85.86%) female (n = 102/68.46%) individuals. As regards the number of lesions, 109 (73.15%) were multiple and 40 (26.85%) were single. Lip represented the anatomical location more affected (122 cases/38.01%), followed by the buccal mucosa (100 cases/31.15%). Brownish lesions accounted for 82 (69.49%) cases. The mean time of evolution was 10.52 years (0.16 to 56 years). OPL preceding diagnosis of the syndrome was observed in 111 (74.50%) cases.

Conclusions: Although these syndromes are uncommon, dentists should be able to recognize their manifestations, since oral manifestations can represent an important aspect in early diagnosis.