title: Annular atrophic plaques of the face. A variety of atrophic discoid lupus erythematosus?
abstract: In a patient whose condition was diagnosed clinically and pathologically as annular atrophic plaques, the lesions bore some resemblance to morphea, lichen sclerosus et atrophicus, and discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE). In a lesion that appeared recently, which was not DLE clinically, the histological characteristics were consistent with DLE, and immunofluorescence examination disclosed an immunofluorescent band at the epidermal-dermal zone. We suggest that annular atrophic plaques may be an atypical variant of DLE, with a tendency to sclerosing.
mesh_terms: D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008179:Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged