Chronic urticaria-like lesions in systemic lupus erythematosus. A review of 12 cases.

Twelve of 54 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) had nonpuric, chronic urticaria-like lessions. Skin biopsy of the lesions was performed in 11 cases, and nine showed necrotizing vasculitis. The 54 patients, in general, had severe disease, and laboratory and clinical data suggested a postivite relationship between the urticaria-like lesions and disease severity. There was no consistent relationship between the course of the urticaria-like lesions and the serologic findings and clinical activity of the SLE. The frequency and importance of urticaria-like lesions in SLE deserve further study.