[Adult discoid lupus erythematosus].
BACKGROUND
Discoid lupus erythematosus is a particular form of systemic lupus in which manifestations are confined to the skin.


OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to evaluate the epidemiology trends, presenting clinical manifestations, therapeutic features and outcome of patients with discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE).


METHODS
It's a retrospective study, done in the dermatology department of Habib Thameur Hospital over an 8 years period. We included only the cases of DLE confirmed by the histology and/or the direct immunofluorescence.


RESULTS
We identified 26 patients mean aged 46.19 years. All of them were adults. The lesions were localized on the face for 25 patients, neck (7 patients), scalp (6) and hands (6). Eleven patients presented a generalized DLE. The mean period of follow-up was 3 years raging from 1 month to 20 years. After a 15 year evolution, 1 patient presented degeneration in squamous cell carcinoma of 2 lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
Unfortunately, there is still in our country a long delay before the first consultation, which, added to an absence of adequate photoprotection, can obscure the prognosis of DLE.
Service de Dermatologie. Hôpital Habib Thameur, Tunis.
Elhem
E
Khelifa
Rym
R
Benmously
Samy
S
Fenniche
Hayet
H
Marrak
Mohamed
M
Zghal
Inçaf
I
Mokhtar
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008179:Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012536:Scalp Dermatoses / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy