Chronic Erythematous Plaques Around The Ears
February 2023
in “
Cutis
”
TLDR A man with painful ear plaques was diagnosed with discoid lupus and treated with medications and lifestyle changes.
A 41-year-old man presented with chronic erythematous, pruritic, and painful plaques around his ears, which were diagnosed as discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) after biopsies showed vacuolar interface changes and perivascular inflammation. DLE is characterized by chronic, scaly, coin-shaped plaques typically found on sun-exposed areas, and can lead to scarring alopecia. The patient was treated with triamcinolone and tacrolimus ointments, hydroxychloroquine, and advised on sun protection and smoking cessation. DLE can be associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and requires comprehensive management including sun protection, smoking cessation, and possibly systemic therapy for widespread or resistant cases.
