LAUSR

Objective: To characterize the clinical presentation, laboratory studies, disease associations, and treatments of subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE). Patients and Methods: A retrospective review of 90 patients with SCLE at Mayo Clinic from January 1, 1996, through October 28, 2011, was performed. Results: The mean patient age at diagnosis was 61 years; 64 patients (71%) were women, and 11 cases (12%) were drug induced (1996–2000, no drug‐induced cases; 2001–2005, 2 cases; 2006–2011, 9 cases). Seventeen of 59 patients (29%) with available data were smokers at the time of diagnosis. The SCLE lesions were photodistributed in 75 patients (83%), and 52 (58%) had papulosquamous morphologic findings. Anti‐Ro/SS‐A positivity was present in 84 of 85 patients tested (99%), whereas 32 of the 85 patients (38%) tested positive for anti‐La/SS‐B. Associated autoimmune connective tissue diseases included Sjögren syndrome (n=13, 14%) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (n=8, 9%). Eighteen patients (20%) had at least 4 American College of Rheumatology criteria for SLE; 1 had lupus nephritis, and none had neurologic or notable hematologic sequelae. The most common therapy was hydroxychloroquine, with a complete response noted in 34 of 46 patients (74%) with available follow‐up data. Conclusion: Twenty‐eight percent of patients with SCLE (n=25) had an associated autoimmune connective tissue disease, although the severe sequelae of SLE, such as nephritis, were rare. The frequency of drug‐induced SCLE increased during the study. Most patients responded to treatment with hydroxychloroquine.