Publication:

A retrospective study of mucocutaneous lesions of SLE patients and their systemic implications

Background SLE is a systemic disease with multiorgan involvement occuring very rarely, if so, it has a very grave prognosis if not detected early. Our study enlightens about the evolution of mucocutaneous lesions which can serve as an eye opener for early detection of systemic involvement.

Methods A descriptive study was conducted in the Department of Dermatology at a tertiary care centre from May 2017 to April 2018 retrospectively. From 15 confirmed cases of SLE a critical retrospective analysis of symptom complex evolution was done and thus a clinical correlation of evolution of mucocutaneous lesions and systemic involvement was attempted.

Results Out of the fifteen patients in our study comprising various age groups (4-51 years), mean age group was 29.76 years. 14 (93%) were female patients and 1 (6.6%) male patient. Oral ulcerations, Non-scarring alopecia and vasculitic lesions were predominant (3 patients-80%) followed by photosensitivity and cheilitis (9 patients- 60%). Systemic involvement was present in 9 (60%), out of which one (6%) patient had lupus nephritis and 3 patients (20%) had CNS lupus, 2 (13%) had chronic unilateral scleritis, 2 (13%) had interstitial lung disease, one (6%) had coronary heart disease. Mucocutaneous lesions preceded the systemic involvement in 88.8% of cases, with mean duration being 3 years (4 months – 10 years).

Conclusions Mucocutaneous lesions could serve as an eye opener for diagnosis of SLE, which is always a diagnosis made out of high degree of suspicion apart from certain mucocutaneous lesions serving as an ominous sign of system involvement in SLE.