THE LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS SYNDROME: THE RELATIONSHIP OF DISCOID (CUTANEOUS) LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS TO SYSTEMIC (DISSEMINATED) LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

Abstract

Three patients with discoid lupus erythematosus (of 6, 10 and 13 years'' duration) who developed systemic lupus are described. A survey of the relationship between discoid lupus erythematosus and systemic lupus erythematosus was conducted among dermatologists and internists. Three hundred fifty-three cases of discoid lupus followed by systemic lupus erythematosus in from months to many years were collected from 192 dermatologists. It is suggested that the results of the survey, and the 3 case reports, provide additional evidence that discoid (cutaneous) lupus erythematosus and systemic (disseminated) lupus erythematosus are stages of the same disease entity.