Clinical Manifestations of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus

The 2005 document outlines the clinical manifestations of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (LE), categorizing skin lesions as LE-specific and LE-nonspecific. It was found that a significant proportion of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients experience skin involvement, with 72-85% having some form of skin lesion and 23-28% presenting with skin involvement as the initial sign of SLE. LE-specific lesions, which include chronic, subacute, and acute cutaneous LE, are important for diagnosing and managing LE, as certain types like generalized discoid LE and SCLE are more commonly associated with systemic disease. The document emphasizes the importance of dermatologic expertise in the development of SLE classification criteria, given that current criteria lack dermatologic input. It also notes the diagnostic challenges posed by LE-nonspecific lesions, which are not unique to LE and can occur in other diseases. The study concludes with a call for greater dermatologic involvement in future SLE classification studies.