title: Cutaneous lupus erythematosus: An update.
abstract: Lupus erythematosus (LE) is a chronic, autoimmune, multisystem disease that displays many diverse symptoms in which localized cutaneous LE (CLE) is on one end of the spectrum and severe systemic LE (SLE) on the other end. The underlying cause of LE is unknown but the etiology is thought to be multifactorial and polygenic. CLE is a disfiguring, chronic skin disease, with a significant impact on the patients' everyday life. CLE are further divided into three main subsets: Acute CLE (ACLE), subacute CLE (SCLE) and chronic CLE (CCLE), where classic discoid LE (DLE) is the most common form. These subsets are defined by clinical symptoms, average duration of symptoms and histological and serological findings, although, the three subtypes can have overlapping clinical features. CLE patients display well-defined skin lesions, often in sun-exposed areas. The disease often has a chronic and relapsing course that can be induced or aggravated by UV light. It is important to confirm a CLE diagnosis histopathologically by a biopsy and in that there are several differential diagnoses and because CLE is a chronic disease in which regular follow-up is important and systemic treatment is sometimes indicated.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Medicine, Unit of Occupational and Environmental Dermatology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Carina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Grönhagen
authors.affiliation: Uppsala University Hospital, Department of Dermatology, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Filippa
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nyberg
keywords: Acute cutaneous lupus erythematosus; chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus; cutaneous; cutaneous lupus erythematosus; discoid lupus erythematosus; erythematosus; lupus; subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus