title: Bullous systemic lupus erythematosus with antiphospholipid syndrome.
abstract: We report the case of a 44-year-old male with a 10-year history of manifestations of the rare form of bullous systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with coexisting antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) that remained undiagnosed until thrombotic-embolic episodes appeared and high titres of anticardiolipin (ACL) antibodies were detected. The patient fulfilled the criteria for SLE and the atypical cutaneous manifestations together with histopathological changes and a favourable response to sulphones were the grounds for the diagnosis of the bullous variety of SLE. Treatment with prednisolone, acenocoumarol and dapsone resulted in marked clinical improvement, reduction in antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) and normalization of ACL antibody titres.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Pomeranian Medical University, 72, Powstancow Wlkp. St., PL-7011 Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kacalak-Rzepka
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zaluga
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maleszka
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Królicki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klimowicz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012872:Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous / Q000473:pathology