[Chronic lupus erythematosus, subacute cutaneous lupus]

Abstract

The cutaneous manifestations of lupus erythematosus (LE) are extremely varied, and they predominate among the clinical signs of chronic LE and subacute cutaneous LE. In chronic LE, typical lesions are found in regions exposed to sunlight and consist of erythema, hyperkeratosis and skin atrophy. The skin of patients with subacute cutaneous LE is also highly sensitive to light; the lesions consist of an annular or polycyclic or sometimes psoriasiform erythemato-squamous eruption observed mainly in uncovered areas. These dermatological forms are part of the wide spectrum of "lupus". Cutaneous manifestations are often associated with systemic signs of varying type and severity and with immunological abnormalities, such as antibodies to Ro in subacute cutaneous LE, which act as markers of the disease.