Classification of lupus erythematosus based upon Japanese patients.

The two dimensional classification system for lupus erythematosus (LE) is proposed. The terms for diagnoses and those for eruptions should be used separately. The terms for diagnoses are cutaneous-limited LE (CLE), intermediate LE (ILE) and systemic LE (SLE). CLE is an entity which has only cutaneous manifestations, and ILE has mild systemic manifestations. On the other hand, the terms for skin manifestations are chronic cutaneous LE (CCLE), subacute cutaneous LE (SCLE) and acute cutaneous LE (ACLE). CCLE includes discoid LE (DLE), chilblain LE and LE profundus. SCLE includes annular SCLE and papulosquamous SCLE. In this classification system, the condition of each LE patient is estimated integratedly both in systemic and cutaneous standpoints. Analyzing Japanese LE patients by this classification system, the usefulness of this system and the features of Japanese LE patients are discussed.