Neonatal lupus erythematosus: our local experience.
BACKGROUND
Neonatal lupus erythematosus (NLE) presents clinically with either cutaneous lesions or cardiac involvement and is related to the transplacental passage of anti-Ro antibodies from mother to foetus. We report a series of 10 cases seen at the National Skin Centre between 1990 and 1998 including a pair of siblings.


METHODS
The female to male ratio was 2.3:1 and most presented with rash between 3 to 5 weeks of life while 4 had lesions at birth. Four of the 9 mothers had SLE, one was diagnosed to have a lupus-like illness, 2 had Sjogren's syndrome and the remaining two had very high ANA titres but the final diagnosis was uncertain.


RESULTS
The rash resolved spontaneously by 3 to 6 months of age.
Ng
P P
PP
National Skin Centre, Singapore.
Tay
Y K
YK
Giam
Y C
YC
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000276:immunology*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000276:immunology
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies