LE OR NOT LE - THAT IS THE QUESTION - AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO SEPARATE LYMPHOCYTIC INFILTRATION FROM THE SPECTRUM OF DISCOID LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS

Lymphocytic infiltration of the skin (LIS) has been claimed to be a di stinct entity that differs from discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) by t he lack of epidermal changes, negative immunofluorescence tests, and d ifferences in the composition of the inflammatory cell infiltrate. In studies that sought to distinguish both conditions, however, cases of established lupus erythematosus without epidermal involvement have not been considered. We studied 72 patients with the clinical and histopa thologic diagnosis of either LIS or DLE in regard to the same clinical , histopathologic, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemical criteri a. No significant differences were noted between cases with and withou t epidermal involvement on the one hand and between cases with and wit hout immunofluorescence or clinical findings suggestive of lupus eryth ematosus on the other. Based on our findings, it is not possible to se parate LIS from the spectrum of DLE.