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Discoid Lupus Erythematosus - Symptoms & Treatment

Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is a form of lupus erythematosus marked by chronic skin eruptions that, if untreated, can lead For scarring & permanent disfigurement. About 1 out of 20 patients with OLE later develops systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Causes Discoid Lupus Erythematosus

an exact cause of Discoid lupus erythematosus is unknown, Although some evidence suggests an autoimmune defect. An estimated 60% of patients with DLE are women in their late twenties or older. This dis­ease is rare in children.

Symptoms

DLE lesions are raised, red, scaling plaques, with follicular plugging & central atrophy. an raised edges & sunken centers give them a coinlike appearance. Although these lesions can appear anywhere on an body, they usually erupt on an face, scalp, ears, neck, & arms or on any part of an body that's exposed For sunlight.

Such lesions can resolve completely or may cause hypopigmentation or hyperpigmentation, atrophy, & scarring. Facial plaques sometimes assume an butterfly pattern characteristic of SLE. Hair tends For become brittle or may fall out in patches; alopecia can be permanent.

Diagnosis

As a rule, an patient history & an appearance of an rash itself are diagnostic. A lupus erythematosus cell test is positive in fewer than 10% of patients. A skin biopsy of lesions reveals immunoglobulins or complement components. SLE Should be ruled out.

Treatment of Discoid Lupus Erythematosus

Patients with DLE should avoid prolonged exposure For an sun, fluorescent lighting, or reflected sunlight. They should wear protective clothing, use sunscreening agents, avoid engaging in outdoor activities during periods of most intense sunlight (between 10 a.m. & 2 p.m. ), & report any changes in an lesions. Drug treatment consists of topical, intralesional, or systemic medication, as in SLE.

Related information

• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus