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Direct immunofluorescence in lupus erythematosus (LE)
R S Isfer1, J A Sanches Júnior, C Festa Neto
1General Hospital Dermatology Clinic, University of São Paulo Medical School, Brasil.
Insights
Direct immunofluorescence (DIF) detected specific immunoglobulins in lupus erythematosus (LE) skin lesions. IgM and IgM + C3 were the most common findings, aligning with existing lupus research.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Immunology
- Pathology
Background:
- Lupus erythematosus (LE) encompasses various autoimmune conditions affecting the skin.
- Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) subtypes include discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SALE), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
- Direct immunofluorescence (DIF) is a diagnostic tool for identifying immune deposits in skin biopsies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of DIF in diagnosing cutaneous lupus erythematosus.
- To determine the prevalence of specific immunoglobulins and complement deposition in skin lesions of different LE subtypes.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 126 patients with LE was studied, categorized into DLE (84), SALE (13), and SLE (29).
- Skin biopsies were obtained from lesional skin.
- Direct immunofluorescence (DIF) was performed on all biopsies.
Main Results:
- Positive DIF results were observed in 69% of DLE, 61.5% of SALE, and 72.4% of SLE cases.
- Immunoglobulin M (IgM) was the most frequently detected immunoglobulin.
- The combined finding of IgM and C3 was the next most common immune deposit.
Conclusions:
- DIF is a valuable diagnostic method for cutaneous lupus erythematosus.
- IgM and IgM + C3 deposits are characteristic findings in LE skin lesions.
- The prevalence of positive DIF results is consistent across DLE, SALE, and SLE subtypes.
Abstract:
One hundred and twenty-six patients with LE were studied. They were distributed as follows: 84 with DLE, 13 with SALE and 29 with SLE. Biopsies from the skin lesions were performed and submitted to DIF. Positive results were equal to 69, 61.5 and 72.4 percent of the DLE, SALE and SLE cases, respectively. These data are in accordance with the literature. IgM was the most frequently found immunoglobulin, followed by the association IgM + C3.
