Isolated Unilateral Periorbital Chronic Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus: A Case Report and Literature Review
Keywords:
Chronic Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus, Periorbital Swelling, Chronic Cutaneous Lupus, Eyelid Dermatosis, Cutaneous Lupus ErythematosusAbstract
Chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CCLE) represents the most prevalent subset of cutaneous lupus erythematosus and is well known for its predilection for photo-exposed areas, particularly the face and scalp, as consistently demonstrated in large clinical series and dermatologic epidemiologic studies. Periorbital involvement, particularly as an isolated manifestation, is exceedingly rare and diagnostically challenging. Here, we report a 29-year-old man presenting with a one-year history of recurrent isolated right periorbital swelling. Histopathological examination revealed interface dermatitis with basal vacuolization and lymphoplasmacytic infiltration, while Direct Immunofluorescent (DIF) showed granular deposition of C3 at the dermoepidermal junction. Despite negative antinuclear antibody (ANA) results, the patient responded favorably to hydroxychloroquine and topical corticosteroids. This case highlights the importance of maintaining a high clinical suspicion and utilizing DIF in diagnosing ANA-negative chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CCLE) with atypical presentations.
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เนื้อหาและข้อมูลในบทความที่ลงตีพิมพ์ในวารสารโรคผิวหนัง ถือเป็นข้อคิดเห็นและความรับผิดชอบของผู้เขียนบทความโดยตรงซึ่งกองบรรณาธิการวารสาร ไม่จำเป็นต้องเห็นด้วย หรือร่วมรับผิดชอบใดๆ
บทความ ข้อมูล เนื้อหา รูปภาพ ฯลฯ ที่ได้รับการตีพิมพ์ในวารสารโรคผิวหนัง ถือเป็นลิขสิทธิ์ของวารสารฯ หากบุคคลหรือหน่วยงานใดต้องการนำทั้งหมดหรือส่วนหนึ่งส่วนใดไปเผยแพร่ต่อหรือเพื่อกระทำการใดๆ จะต้องได้รับอนุญาตเป็นลายลักอักษรจากบรรณาธิการวารสารโรคผิวหนังก่อนเท่านั้น