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Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Dermoscopy Aids in the Diagnosis of Discoid Lupus Erythematosus
Published on: May 16, 2025
Digital ulcers as an initial manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus
Edoardo Rosato1, Ilenia Molinaro, Simonetta Pisarri
1Department of Clinical Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
Abstract:
Digital ulcers (DUs) and gangrene are common skin manifestations of connective tissue diseases, especially systemic sclerosis. Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) is an almost universal manifestation of systemic sclerosis, with 95% of all patients being affected, and resulting in DUs in approximately 30% of the patients each year. Although RP may be present in approximately 25-50% of the patients, DUs are relatively rare in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and never present as an initial manifestation of disease. In this case report DUs appear as the initial manifestation of SLE in a young woman with a capillaroscopic scleroderma pattern and elevated systolic pulmonary arterial pressure.
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Few clinical manifestations differentiate gastric ulcers from duodenal ulcers. Distinctions in the location, timing, and pain relief are crucial for healthcare providers in differentiating between gastric and duodenal ulcers during clinical assessments.
