Areata-Like Lupus as a Clinical Manifestation of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus

January 2022 in “ Skin Appendage Disorders ”

Karina Lopes Morais, Pedro Secchin, Alessandra Anzai, Maria Júlia Miquelão Canuto Verussa, Andréia Munck, Carolina Oliveira Costa Fechine, Neusa Yuriko Sakai Valente, Ricardo Romiti

areata-like lupus cutaneous lupus erythematosus alopecia areata nonscarring patchy alopecia trichoscopy histology direct immunofluorescence exclamation mark hairs C3 IgA IgG autoimmune infiltrate hair follicles lupus AA hair loss skin biopsy immune system

TLDR Areata-like lupus can mimic alopecia areata but is a form of cutaneous lupus erythematosus.

The document discusses a case report of a 63-year-old woman diagnosed with areata-like lupus, a form of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) that mimics alopecia areata (AA) but without systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) involvement. The patient exhibited nonscarring patchy alopecia with trichoscopic and histological features similar to AA. However, direct immunofluorescence and histology confirmed the diagnosis of cutaneous LE. The patient responded well to treatment with triamcinolone hexacetonide, clobetasol, and minoxidil, showing significant hair regrowth over 10 months. The study emphasizes the importance of considering areata-like LE in the differential diagnosis of AA, even in the absence of systemic LE symptoms.

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Research cited in this study

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