J Wenzel1, R Bauer, M Uerlich, T Bieber, I Boehm. 1. Department of Dermatology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany. joerg.wenzel@ukb.uni-bonn.de
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Some patients suffering from cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) develop extracutaneous manifestations during the course of the disease: up to 5% of patients with discoid LE (DLE) and up to 30% of subacute cutaneous LE (SCLE) patients show systemic involvement. Recent studies revealed some markers indicating systemic manifestations of CLE patients. However, the significance of diminished peripheral lymphocyte numbers as a marker of systemic involvement in CLE has not been investigated before. OBJECTIVES: To determine the value of lymphocytopenia (< 1500 cells microL(-1)) as a marker of extracutaneous manifestations in CLE patients. : Methods The records of 72 CLE patients (44 DLE; 28 SCLE) were investigated. Systemic involvement was defined in accordance with the criteria of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. Analyses of peripheral lymphocyte numbers were done by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis. RESULTS: Five CLE patients developed extracutaneous manifestations during the course of disease. All these patients were lymphocytopenic. Differences between peripheral lymphocyte numbers of CLE patients with and without additional systemic involvement were highly significant (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that lymphocytopenia in patients with CLE is a high sensitive but low specific marker of systemic involvement.
BACKGROUND: Some patients suffering from cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) develop extracutaneous manifestations during the course of the disease: up to 5% of patients with discoid LE (DLE) and up to 30% of subacute cutaneous LE (SCLE) patients show systemic involvement. Recent studies revealed some markers indicating systemic manifestations of CLEpatients. However, the significance of diminished peripheral lymphocyte numbers as a marker of systemic involvement in CLE has not been investigated before. OBJECTIVES: To determine the value of lymphocytopenia (< 1500 cells microL(-1)) as a marker of extracutaneous manifestations in CLEpatients. : Methods The records of 72 CLEpatients (44 DLE; 28 SCLE) were investigated. Systemic involvement was defined in accordance with the criteria of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. Analyses of peripheral lymphocyte numbers were done by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis. RESULTS: Five CLEpatients developed extracutaneous manifestations during the course of disease. All these patients were lymphocytopenic. Differences between peripheral lymphocyte numbers of CLEpatients with and without additional systemic involvement were highly significant (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that lymphocytopenia in patients with CLE is a high sensitive but low specific marker of systemic involvement.
Authors: Inbal Braunstein; Noah G Goodman; Misha Rosenbach; Joyce Okawa; Asha Shah; Michael Krathen; Carrie L Kovarik; Eline Luning Prak; Victoria P Werth Journal: J Am Acad Dermatol Date: 2011-08-06 Impact factor: 11.527