[Lupus pernio. A report of a series of 8 patients]

Abstract

Objectives: Although lupus pernio (LP) is the most characteristic cutaneous lesion of chronic sarcoidosis, only a few cases have been reported in our country. The aim of this study was to review the frequency and clinical characteristics of patients with LP in a large series of patients with sarcoidosis.

Methods: A retrospective review of the frequency and characteristics of patients diagnosed as having LP from the series of sarcoidosis of our institution for a period of 35 years was performed.

Results: Eight (1.6%) out of 507 patients with sarcoidosis were diagnosed of LP. Mean age was 42 years. In 6 patients, LP was the presentation form of sarcoidosis. Five patients had involvement of the nasal skin and one patient severe involvement of the nasal mucosa. All the patients were treated with antimalarial drugs, 4 with oral corticosteroids, 2 with laser therapy, or with combinations with other drugs. None of the patient having nasal skin involvement showed remission of LP.

Conclusions: LP is a rare clinical form of sarcoidosis in our country. No treatment is effective for nasal skin involvement. The recent introduction of infliximab may represent an advance in the treatment of LP.