Discoid lupus erythematosus: clinical and pathological study of 24 patients

From 1996 to 2001 we examined in our department 24 subjects with discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) (19 females and 5 males, age range 22–77 years, average age 55.5 years), who presented with scalp involvement, most frequently on the vertex (87%). Fifteen of these subjects showed an exclusive scalp localization (fig. 1). The average age of onset of the scalp lesions was 53.6 years and the average duration of the disease 27 months. Nine subjects presented with a single localization on the scalp and 15 presented with multiple localizations. ANA were positive, with a titre of 1 : 160 in one subject, with negative ENA and n-DNA. All the subjects were treated first with topical steroids, and synthetic antimalarials were administered to poor responders. Subjects who did not respond to either of these therapies were treated with oral steroids