Background: Lupus erythematosus (LE) is the root designation for a diverse array of illnesses that are linked together by distinctive clinical findings and characteristic patterns of polyclonal B-cell autoimmunity.

Materials and Methods: A clinical non-interventional descriptive study on 30 patients were conducted in a tertiary care centre over a period of 1 year.

Aim of the study: To find out the frequency of systemic lupus erythematosus in patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus. General, dermatological, and systemic examination was done in all patients and documented in the proforma. Relevant investigations were done. Skin biopsies from representative lesions were done in all patients after obtaining their written consent. Detailed histopathological examination was done. Correlation of the clinical and histological features was done in all the patients in this study. The results were tabulated and analyzed in consultation with the clinical epidemiologist.

Results: 36.7% had systemic involvement. Polyarthritis was the most common systemic manifestation. Anti ds-DNA positive in 43.3% patients.83.3% patients with cutaneous LE were found to be ANA positive. Forty eight percent of patients with CCLE, 50% of patients with ACLE and 20% of SCLE patients had antids-DNA positivity. Fifty percent of patients satisfied revised ACR criteria to be classified as SLE.

Conclusions: CCLE is the most common type of cutaneous LE. Correlation between the clinical and histological diagnoses has been found to be quite good in CCLE and SCLE; but it has been poor in the case of ACLE.A significant proportion of patients with cutaneous LE is found fulfill the ACR criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus. Of the different types of cutaneous LE, ACLE shows the strongest association with SLE.

Keywords: systemic lupus erythematosus, cutaneous lupus erythematosus.

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Kavitha K

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