eMedicine Specialties > Dermatology > Connective Tissue Diseases

Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid: Follow-up

Author: Jeffrey P Callen, MD, Professor of Medicine, Chief, Division of Dermatology, University of Louisville School of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Nov 9, 2009

Follow-up

Further Inpatient Care

  • Inpatient care is rarely necessary.

Further Outpatient Care

  • Follow patients with DLE at regular intervals. Response to therapy varies from several weeks to several months. At each visit, question the patient about new symptoms that may reflect systemic disease.
  • At regular intervals, perhaps annually in otherwise asymptomatic patients, perform routine laboratory studies for assessment, including CBC count, renal function tests, and urinalysis. Repeat antibody testing is needed only if a change in symptomatology is noted.

Complications

  • Scarring or atrophy is possible, but treatment of early lesions may be preventative.
  • Serious systemic disease is rare, but when it occurs, patients may develop life-altering sequelae.
  • Malignant degeneration is rare. Promptly remove new growths within burned-out lesions.

Prognosis

  • The prognosis of patients with chronic CLE is favorable regarding mortality; however, many patients continue to experience pain in their lesions or may experience disfigurement from the scars or atrophy that can develop.
  • Exacerbation is possible, particularly in the spring and summer.

Patient Education

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Failure to diagnose DLE correctly or appropriately
  • Failure to recognize systemic involvement
  • Failure to recognize malignant degeneration
  • Failure to recognize adverse reactions from agents used to treat cutaneous lesions of lupus erythematosus.
 


More on Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid

Overview: Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid
Treatment & Medication: Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid
Follow-up: Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid
Multimedia: Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid
References
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References

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Further Reading

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Keywords

chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus, discoid lupus erythematosus

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Jeffrey P Callen, MD, Professor of Medicine, Chief, Division of Dermatology, University of Louisville School of Medicine
Jeffrey P Callen, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, and American College of Rheumatology
Disclosure: Amgen Honoraria Consulting; Abbott Honoraria Consulting; Electrical Optical Sciences Honoraria Consulting; Centocor Honoraria Consulting; Medicis Honoraria Consulting; Celgene Honoraria Consulting

Medical Editor

Craig A Elmets, MD, Director of Dermatology, Departments of Dermatology, Pathology, and Environmental Health Sciences; Professor, The Kirklin Clinic, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Craig A Elmets, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Association of Immunologists, American College of Physicians, American Federation for Medical Research, and Society for Investigative Dermatology
Disclosure: Palomar Medical Technologies Stock None; Amgen Consulting fee Review panel membership; Astellas Consulting fee Review panel membership; Massachusetts Medical Society Salary Employment; Abbott Laboratories Grant/research funds Independent contractor

Pharmacy Editor

David F Butler, MD, Professor of Dermatology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine; Chair, Department of Dermatology, Director, Dermatology Residency Training Program, Scott and White Clinic, Northside Clinic
David F Butler, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for MOHS Surgery, Association of Military Dermatologists, and Phi Beta Kappa
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Julia R Nunley, MD, Professor, Program Director, Dermatology Residency, Department of Dermatology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center
Julia R Nunley, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, American Society of Nephrology, International Society of Nephrology, Medical Dermatology Society, Medical Society of Virginia, National Kidney Foundation, Phi Beta Kappa, and Women's Dermatologic Society
Disclosure: Johnson and Johnson stock holder dividends; Amgen stock holder dividends; Forest Lab, Inc stock holder dividends; Galaxo Smith Klein stock holder dividends; Covidien stock holder dividends; Novartis Grant/research funds Consulting; Biolex  sub-investigator

CME Editor

Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE, Medical Director, Clinical Studies Unit, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Associate Scholar, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania
Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE is a member of the following medical societies: Society for Investigative Dermatology
Disclosure: AMGEN Consulting fee Consulting; AMGEN Grant/research funds None; Genentech Consulting fee Consulting; Centocor Consulting fee Consulting; Centocor Grant/research funds None; Covance Consulting fee Consulting; Shire  Consulting

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD, Director, Department of Dermatology, Geisinger Medical Center
Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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