[Oral lupus erythematosus. Description and analysis of 11 cases].
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study is to evaluate all the cases of lupus erythematosus with oral involvement coming to the Department of Oral Medicine in the last 15 years (1984-1998).


METHODS
The files of the Oral Medicine Department of the University of Turin have been reviewed to search oral manifestations of lupus erythematosus according to international accepted diagnostic criteria.


RESULTS
A total of eleven patients 7 women (64%) and 4 men (36%) with a mean age of 46 years were included. Three patients (27%) had discoid lupus erythematosus (LED) whereas 8 (73%) had systemic lupus erythematosus (LES). In four patients the diagnosis of lupus was made after oral diagnosis, whereas 7 patients (64%) had a previous diagnosis of lupus. Clinical aspect was typical in 8 cases (73%) while one patient had leukoplakia-like white patches and two patients (18%) had lichen-like oral lesion.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggest that primitive oral lesion of lupus are quite rare but frequently may have atypical features often difficult to differentiate from lichen planus.
Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Clinica, Università degli Studi, Torino.
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M
Togliatto
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Carrozzo
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Conrotto
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Pagano
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Gandolfo
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008046:Lip / Q000473:pathology; D008179:Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000473:pathology; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D010159:Palate / Q000473:pathology