Clinical characteristics of cutaneous vasculitis secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus

Background

Systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by a wide spectrum of clinical and immunological manifestations. Cutaneous vasculitis(CV) is very common in SLE. The present study was to elucidate the clinical features of CV secondary to SLE.

Materials and methods

All of the included 278 patients (256 female, 22 male) fulfilled 4 or more of the revised 1997 ACR Criteria for the classification of SLE. Clinical and laboratory data were obtained when patients were included in our study.

Results

CV secondary to SLE was found in 103(37%) among the 278 patients, 84(82%) was female and 19(18%) was male. The commonest presentation was acroerythema. The site most commonly affected was fingertips and palms. The other sites often affected were the lower limbs, upper limbs, trunk and face in order of frequency. The duration of the skin lesions ranged from less than a week to several months. Patients with secondary CV presented a lower female/male ratio and a higher mean SLEDAI score and also had a higher frequency of raynaud phenomenon and blood system involvement and hypergammaglobulinemia and anticardiolipin antibodies(aCL) (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The presentation of CV secondary to SLE was heterogeneous and the secondary CV in SLE was associated with a lower female/male ratio, a higher mean SLEDAI score, a higher frequency of raynaud phenomenon and blood system involvement and hypergammaglobulinemia and aCL.