Acute cutaneous lupus erythematosus explained

Specialty:dermatology

Acute cutaneous lupus erythematosus is a cutaneous condition characterized by a bilateral malar rash (also known as a "butterfly rash") and lesions that tend to be transient, and that follow sun exposure.[1] The acute form is distinct from chronic and subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus, which may have different types of skin lesions.[2] Cutaneous lupus erythematosus is associated with both lupus erythematosus-specific lesions and cutaneous manifestations that are not specific to lupus erythematosus, such as oral ulcers and urticaria.[3] Because of the diagnostic criteria used to diagnose systemic lupus erythematosus, a patient with only cutaneous manifestations may be diagnosed with the systemic form of the disease.

Forms

Acute cutaneous lupus erythematosus can be either localized or generalized.[4]

Localized form

The localized form of the disease is most commonly associated with the malar rash and normally develops in a patient's twenties. The localized form occurs only above the patient's neck and is not associated with rashes in other parts of the body.

Generalized form

Generalized acute cutaneous lupus erythematosus includes skin below the patient's neck and is described as a macropapular rash or photosensitive lupus dermatitis. Symptoms include similar erythematic lesions as seen in the localized form, but forms a symmetrical rash and can be mistaken for a drug rash.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Rapini . Ronald P. . Bolognia . Jean L. . Jorizzo . Joseph L. . vanc . Dermatology: 2-Volume Set . Mosby . St. Louis . 2007 . 978-1-4160-2999-1 .
  2. Werth VP . Clinical manifestations of cutaneous lupus erythematosus . Autoimmunity Reviews . 4 . 5 . 296–302 . June 2005 . 15990077 . 10.1016/j.autrev.2005.01.003 .
  3. McCauliffe DP . Cutaneous lupus erythematosus. . Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery . March 2001 . 20 . 1 . 14–26 . 10.1053/sder.2001.23091 . 11308132 .
  4. Okon LG, Werth VP . Cutaneous lupus erythematosus: diagnosis and treatment . Best Practice & Research. Clinical Rheumatology . 27 . 3 . 391–404 . June 2013 . 24238695 . 3927537 . 10.1016/j.berh.2013.07.008 . Systemic Lupus Erythematosus .