Pediatric Discoid Lupus Erythematosus

Clinical features, relationship to systemic disease, and risk for progression were assessed in a relatively large cohort of children.

Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) has been studied in adults, but its relative rarity in children has produced few studies documenting its clinical features and the risk for progression to systemic disease (SLE). In adults, the risk for serious end-organ damage (renal or central nervous system disease) is lower in patients with DLE than in unselected patients with SLE.

These authors retrospectively reviewed the cases of 40 patients younger than age 16 years diagnosed with DLE at a tertiary referral center between 1995 and 2012. Of these patients, six had concurrent diagnoses of DLE and SLE. Of the remaining 34 patients, 9 developed SLE as defined by American College of Rheumatology criteria during the mean 5 years of follow-up, and 15 develo…

Reviewing Author

Jeffrey P. Callen, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory board XOMA; Eli Lilly; Celgene

Equity Various trust accounts

Editorial boards JAMA Dermatology; UpToDate

Leadership positions in professional societies Association of Professors of Dermatology (President-Elect)