Lupus panniculitis

Lupus panniculitis is characterized by a T-cell lymphocyte infiltration of the fat, with fibrosing and cicatricial progression. The lesions are predominantly found on the head and the upper part of the body; they are more frequent in young women. Diagnosis is based on the integration of the clinical and histological data, which renders a deep cutaneous biopsy indispensable. Histopathology is the key to the differential diagnosis, which essentially includes subcutaneous T-cell lymphoma. The lupus panniculitis lesions can be isolated or, more often, integrated within a known lupus disease, usually of good prognosis. Treatment relies above all on synthetic anti-malarials, occasionally associated with local or general corticosteroids.