Evaluation of disease activity and damage in different subtypes of cutaneous lupus erythematosus using the CLASI

Dermoscopic Characteristics of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus According to Subtype, Lesion Location, Lesion Duration, and CLASI Score

INTRODUCTION

Dermoscopic findings are used to diagnose and evaluate disease activity in patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE).

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to characterize the dermoscopic features of discoid LE (DLE) and LE tumidus (LET) by lesion duration and CLE Disease Area and Severity Index (CLASI) scores and to examine the dermoscopic findings of lesions in different locations in DLE patients.

METHODS

Dermoscopic findings (follicular features, perifollicular surface, interfollicular features, and vessel pattern) were assessed and lesion duration (≤12 and >12 months) and CLASI scores (grouped as mild or moderate) were calculated. DLE lesion locations were categorized as, non-scalp, scalp and lip.

RESULTS

Forty-eight dermoscopic images from 35 DLE and 4 LET patients were analyzed. The most common dermoscopic findings in non-scalp DLE were follicular keratotic plugs (82.8%) and white scales (69%). In scalp DLE (n=9), the most common findings were absent follicular openings (77.8%), white structureless areas (77.8%), and perifollicular scaling (66.7%). All LET patients had pink-white background and linear vessels. Follicular plugs, peripheral pigmentation, and polymorphous vessels were lower in patients with mild CLASI activity than moderate activity (P = 0.036, 0.039, and 0.019, respectively). Fibrotic white dots, honeycomb pigment pattern, and blue-gray dots/globules were lower in those with mild CLASI damage scores than moderate damage (P = 0.010, 0.010, and 0.020, respectively). Peripheral pigmentation was more common in patients with lesion duration ≤12 months, while blue-gray dots/globules were more common with lesion durations >12 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Certain dermoscopic features may facilitate the differential diagnosis of DLE and LET.

Clinico-histological and Immunopathological Features of Patients with Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus at Tertiary Dermatology Centre in Malaysia

BACKGROUND

Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is a chronic, autoimmune skin disease with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations in different populations.

OBJECTIVE

To study the clinico-histological and immunological features of CLE in a multi-ethnic population and to identify the predictive factors of disease severity based on CLE disease area and severity index (CLASI) scores.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study of CLE conducted from March 2019 till February 2020.

RESULTS

A total of 111 patients were recruited with female to male ratio of 4.9:1. Acute CLE contributed 47.7%, followed by chronic CLE, 46.9% and subacute CLE, 5.4%. Eighty-four percent of patients had systemic lupus erythematosus. About 67.3% with chronic CLE developed systemic involvement. Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) was detected in 90.0%. Skin biopsy(n=42) showed perivascular lymphocytic infiltration (95.2%), epidermal atrophy (47.6%) and hydropic degeneration of basal layer (47.6%). More than 40% had immunoglobulin deposition at dermo-epidermal junction, predominantly granular pattern. Mean CLASI-total was 6.44±7.70, CLASI-activity 2.75±4.10 and CLASI-damage 3.71±4.76. Body surface area (BSA) involved was found to be an independent predictive factor for CLASI-activity (OR:1.34, p=0.018). For CLASI-damage, BSA (OR:4.14, p<0.0001), discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) subtype (OR:13.10, p=0.001), cutaneous vascular disease (OR:26.59, p=0.014), scalp involvement (OR:8.7, p=0.008) and hypocomplementemia (OR:5.71, p=0.046) were the positive predictive factors. Mean DLQI was 5.91 ± 5.34 and it correlated significantly with disease severity.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed a high percentage of patients with CLE with systemic manifestations and positive ANA. More aggressive treatment of those with positive predictive factors for severe disease combined with significant clinical activity may be warranted.

Development of a working core outcome set for cutaneous lupus erythematosus: a practical approach to an urgent unmet need

Objective

The lack of standardised outcomes and outcome measures for cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) represents a substantial barrier to clinical trial design, comparative analysis and approval of novel investigative treatments. We aimed to develop a working core outcome set (COS) for CLE randomised controlled trials and longitudinal observational studies.

Methods

We conducted a multistage literature review of CLE and SLE studies to generate candidate domains and outcome measures. Domains were narrowed to a working core domain set. Outcome measures for core domains were identified and examined.

Results

Proposed core domains include skin-specific disease activity and damage, investigator global assessment (IGA) of disease activity, symptoms (encompassing itch, pain and photosensitivity), health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and patient global assessment (PtGA) of disease activity. Recommended physician-reported outcome measures include the Cutaneous Lupus Erythematous Disease Area and Severity Index (CLASI) and Cutaneous Lupus Activity IGA (CLA-IGA). For the domains of symptoms, HRQoL and PtGA of disease activity, we were unable to recommend one clearly superior instrument.

Conclusion

This work represents a starting point for further refinement pending formal consensus activities and more rigorous evaluations of outcome measure quality. In the interim, the proposed working COS can serve as a much-needed guide for upcoming CLE clinical trials.

Guideline for the diagnosis, treatment and long-term management of cutaneous lupus erythematosus

Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is an inflammatory, autoimmune disease encompassing a broad spectrum of subtypes including acute, subacute, chronic and intermittent CLE. Among these, chronic CLE can be further classified into several subclasses of lupus erythematosus (LE) such as discoid LE, verrucous LE, LE profundus, chilblain LE and Blaschko linear LE. To provide all dermatologists and rheumatologists with a practical guideline for the diagnosis, treatment and long-term management of CLE, this evidence- and consensus-based guideline was developed following the checklist established by the international Reporting Items for Practice Guidelines in Healthcare (RIGHT) Working Group and was registered at the International Practice Guideline Registry Platform. With the joint efforts of the Asian Dermatological Association (ADA), the Asian Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AADV) and the Lupus Erythematosus Research Center of Chinese Society of Dermatology (CSD), a total of 25 dermatologists, 7 rheumatologists, one research scientist on lupus and 2 methodologists, from 16 countries/regions in Asia, America and Europe, participated in the development of this guideline. All recommendations were agreed on by at least 80% of the 32 voting physicians. As a consensus, diagnosis of CLE is mainly based on the evaluation of clinical and histopathological manifestations, with an exclusion of SLE by assessment of systemic involvement. For localized CLE lesions, topical corticosteroids and topical calcineurin inhibitors are first-line treatment. For widespread or severe CLE lesions and (or) cases resistant to topical treatment, systemic treatment including antimalarials and (or) short-term corticosteroids can be added. Notably, antimalarials are the first-line systemic treatment for all types of CLE, and can also be used in pregnant patients and pediatric patients. Second-line choices include thalidomide, retinoids, dapsone and MTX, whereas MMF is third-line treatment. Finally, pulsed-dye laser or surgery can be added as fourth-line treatment for localized, refractory lesions of CCLE in cosmetically unacceptable areas, whereas belimumab may be used as fourth-line treatment for widespread CLE lesions in patients with active SLE, or recurrence of ACLE during tapering of corticosteroids. As for management of the disease, patient education and a long-term follow-up are necessary. Disease activity, damage of skin and other organs, quality of life, comorbidities and possible adverse events are suggested to be assessed in every follow-up visit, when appropriate.

[Ungual lesions in lupus erythematosus: A retrospective study of 14 patients]

INTRODUCTION

There are few studies focusing on ungual lesions in patients with lupus erythematosus (LE). The aim of this study is to describe our experience with ungual lesions in LE patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A multicentric retrospective descriptive study was performed at the dermatology departments of the university hospitals in Strasbourg and at the Tenon hospital in Paris and involved reviewing the medical records and photographs of patients with ungual lesions.

RESULTS

Fourteen patients were included: 12 (86 %) were women with a median age of 38 years (28-78 years). All patients had cutaneous LE presenting as follows: 3 isolated forms (21 %), and associated with systemic LE (LES) for remaining 11 patients (79 %). The most frequent ungual or peri-ungual lesions were longitudinal ridging (12 patients, 86 %), onycholysis and cuticular alterations (8 patients each, 57 %), pterygium (7 patients, 50 %), melanonychia, onychoschizia and subungual hyperkeratosis (5 patients with each, 36 %). Among patients with pterygium and onychoschizia, respectively 6 (86 %) and 5 (100 %) presented the discoid LE subtype, while respectively 6 (86 %) and 4 (80 %) had multisystemic involvement.

DISCUSSION

Ungual lesions do not appear specific and do not in themselves allow diagnosis of LE. They can in fact occur in other diseases such as connective tissue disorders. However, their diagnosis is important because certain of them, such as pterygium, can lead to severe ungual dystrophia, with functional consequences. In our study, pterygium and onychoschizia appeared to be associated with cutaneous discoid lupus erythematosus and multisystemic involvement. The coexistence of peri-ungual lesions related to cutaneous lupus erythematosus and/or multisystemic involvement does not out differentiation of lupus ungual lesions and post-inflammatory lesions.

High Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Discoid Lupus Erythematosus: A Cross-Sectional, Case-Control Study

Although it is known that systemic form of lupus erythematosus (LE) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are frequently observed together, there are no published reports on MetS in patients with skin-restricted LE. We aimed to compare the frequencies of MetS and its components in discoid LE (DLE) with the non-DLE control group. Additionally, we intended to determine the differences of sociodemographic and clinical data of the DLE patients with MetS compared to the patients without MetS. This was a cross-sectional, case-control study, including 60 patients with DLE and 82 age- and gender-matched control subjects. In DLE group, the presence of MetS was observed as more frequent (48.3% versus 24.4%, p = 0.003), and hypertriglyceridemia (43.3% versus 22.0%, p = 0.006) and reduced HDL-cholesterol (61.7% versus 23.2%, p < 0.001) among the MetS components were found significantly higher when compared to the control group. DLE patients with MetS were at older age (50.45 ± 11.49 versus 43.06 ± 12.09, p = 0.02), and hypertension, hyperlipidemia/dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease histories were observed at a higher ratio when compared to the patients without MetS. Between the DLE patients with and without MetS, no significant difference was observed in terms of clinical characteristics of DLE. Moreover, further large case-control studies with follow-up periods would be required to clearly assess the impact of MetS on the clinical outcomes of DLE.

Clinical characteristics of cutaneous lupus erythematosus

INTRODUCTION

Lupus erythematosus (LE) shows a wide variety of clinical manifestations, skin involvement being one of the most important.

AIM

To analyze the clinical presentation of cutaneous variants of lupus erythematosus in terms of skin lesion spectrum and extracutaneous involvement.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 64 patients with cutaneous LE (CLE) were included. The study was based on the "Core Set Questionnaire" developed by the European Society of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (EUSCLE). Clinical severity of skin lesions was evaluated with the Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index (CLASI). All results were subjected to statistical analysis.

RESULTS

Fifteen (23.4%) patients had an acute CLE (ACLE), 26 (40.6%) subacute CLE (SCLE) and 21 (32.8%) chronic CLE (CCLE). Two (3.2%) individuals only demonstrated urticarial vasculitis as a cutaneous manifestation of LE and these patients were excluded. Patients with ACLE were characterized by the earliest onset of the disease (mean age of 31.9 ±15.0 years; p < 0.001). On average, 4.8 ±1.8 criteria of systemic LE were found in the ACLE group compared to 2.7 ±1.3 criteria in SCLE and 2.5 ±1.5 criteria in CCLE (p < 0.001). The highest activity of skin lesions according to CLASI was found in the SCLE group (p = 0.002). On the other hand, the most severe skin damage was observed in CCLE (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Each variant of CLE differs significantly from the others in respect of various aspects of clinical manifestations. Due to a number of different variants of LE skin lesions, a unified classification of CLE still remains a challenge.

Influence of smoking on the efficacy of antimalarials in cutaneous lupus: a meta-analysis of the literature

BACKGROUND

Interaction between smoking and efficacy of antimalarials, the mainstay of treatment for cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), remains controversial.

OBJECTIVES

We systematically reviewed the evidence for such an interaction and performed a meta-analysis to compare the efficacy of antimalarials among smoker versus nonsmoker patients with CLE.

METHODS

Observational studies published up to March 2014 in the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases were selected if they reported on the efficacy of antimalarials for treatment of CLE, according to smoking status. The strength of association between smoking and cutaneous response rate was expressed using the odds ratio. Individual study odds ratios were combined in the meta-analysis using a random effects model.

RESULTS

Of 240 citations retrieved, 10 studies met inclusion criteria, for a total of 1398 patients. The pooled odds ratio for the response to antimalarials in smoker patients with CLE (n = 797) was 0.53 (95% confidence interval 0.29-0.98) compared with nonsmokers (n = 601).

LIMITATIONS

Subgroup analyses for the response to antimalarials considering CLE subtypes, type, and dosage of antimalarials could not be performed because of the lack of available data.

CONCLUSIONS

Smoking is associated with a 2-fold decrease in the proportion of patients with CLE achieving cutaneous improvement with antimalarials. Smoking cessation should be considered in patients with CLE and refractory cutaneous involvement.

Update on Epidemiology and Clinical Assessment Tools of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus and Dermatomyositis

Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE) and Dermatomyositis (DM) are cutaneous autoimmune diseases that have been among the least systematically studied, due in part to the lack of validated outcome instruments in the past. More recent epidemiologic studies have elucidated the incidence and prevalence of these diseases and their subtypes. In addition, the advent of validated clinical outcome measures, including the Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index (CLASI) and the Cutaneous Dermatomyositis Disease Area and Severity Index (CDASI), has led to an objective means of measuring activity and damage of the disease. These outcome measures have established the framework for evaluating responsiveness and therapeutic efficacy in clinical trials as well as longitudinal studies to study disease course.

Cutaneous lupus erythematosus: first multicenter database analysis of 1002 patients from the European Society of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (EUSCLE)

In this prospective, cross-sectional, multicenter study, we assessed clinical and laboratory characteristics from patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) using the Core Set Questionnaire of the European Society of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (EUSCLE). 1002 (768 females, 234 males) patients with different subtypes of CLE, such as acute CLE (ACLE, 304 patients), subacute CLE (SCLE, 236 patients), chronic CLE (CCLE, 397 patients), and intermittent CLE (ICLE, 65 patients), from 13 European countries were collected and statistically analyzed by an SPSS database. The main outcome measures included gender, age at onset of disease, LE-specific and LE-nonspecific skin lesions, photosensitivity, laboratory features, and the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) for the classification of systemic lupus erythematosus. The mean age at onset of disease was 43.0±15.7 years and differed significantly between the CLE subtypes. In 347 (34.6%) of the 1002 patients, two or more CLE subtypes were diagnosed during the course of the disease and 453 (45.2%) presented with LE-nonspecific manifestations. Drug-induced CLE and Sjögren's Syndrome had the highest prevalence in SCLE patients (13.1% and 14.0%, respectively). Photosensitivity was significantly more frequent in patients with ACLE, SCLE, and ICLE compared with those with CCLE. The detection of antinuclear antibodies such as anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB antibodies revealed further significant differences between the CLE subtypes. In summary, the EUSCLE Core Set Questionnaire and its database facilitate the analysis of clinical and laboratory features in a high number of patients with CLE and will contribute to standardized assessment and monitoring of the disease in Europe.

Pulsed dye laser as an excellent choice of treatment for lupus tumidus: a prospective study

BACKGROUND

Clinical manifestations of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) vary widely, and different subtypes of this autoimmune disease exist. Tumidus subtype (LT) has been recently separated from the chronic subtypes and is now considered an independent entity due to its particular clinical and histological features. Different treatments are usually prescribed for CLE. Our group has experience of CLE effectively treated with pulsed dye laser (PDL). It was our impression that better responses were achieved in the LT subtype, but no controlled prospective studies with PDL have been specifically performed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A prospective study was performed on 10 patients with histologically confirmed LT treated with PDL. All patients were treated with 595 nm PDL using the 10 mm spot size at 0.5 ms pulse width and a fluence of 8 J/cm(2). Biopsies were taken before and 4 weeks after treatment and were stained with haematoxylin-eosin.

RESULTS

Evaluation after PDL treatment showed clinical improvement in all of them without side-effects and reduction of the dermal lymphocytic infiltrate in 9/10 of the patients. Epidermal changes were absent in all patients. Mucin deposition persisted only in one patient. However, 50% of the patients developed new lesions nearby or distant to the treated zones.

CONCLUSIONS

PDL therapy is an effective and fast treatment option for acute flares of LT; however, it does not prevent recurrences. A histological improvement has been confirmed in this study. Purpura seems to be necessary to achieve a good response.