title: Optimal use of antimalarials in treating cutaneous lupus erythematosus.
abstract: Antimalarials have been used to treat cutaneous and systemic lupus erythematosus (LE) for decades. Although controlled studies comparing the efficacy of antimalarials versus placebo and other treatments are generally lacking, many case reports and series support the therapeutic efficacy of these agents in treating both LE-specific and -nonspecific skin lesions. Currently, the two most frequently used antimalarial agents are chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine. There may be a delay of weeks to months in the onset of therapeutic effects of antimalarials when treating LE. Smoking appears to inhibit the therapeutic efficacy of antimalarials when treating cutaneous LE. Antimalarials have been associated with a number of potentially serious adverse effects, including irreversible loss of vision. The aim of this review is to discuss the many facets of antimalarials that will help clinicians optimally utilize these agents when treating cutaneous LE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Łódź, Krzemieniecka, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wozniacka
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: McCauliffe
mesh_terms: D000962:Antimalarials / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008178:Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine; D002738:Chloroquine