The aim of this prospective, cross-sectional, multicentre study performed by the European Society of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (EUSCLE) was to investigate different therapeutic strategies and their efficacies in cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) throughout Europe. Using the EUSCLE Core Set Questionnaire, topical and systemic treatment options were analysed in a total of 1002 patients (768 females and 234 males) with different CLE subtypes. The data were correlated with the Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index (CLASI) and the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) for the classification of systemic lupus erythematosus. Sunscreens were applied by 84.0% of the study cohort and showed a high efficacy in preventing skin lesions in all disease subtypes, correlating with a lower CLASI activity score. Topical steroids were used in 81.5% of the patients, with an efficacy of 88.4%, whereas calcineurin inhibitors were applied in 16.4% of the study population and showed an efficacy of 61.7%. Systemic agents including antimalarials and several immunomodulating/-suppressive drugs, such as systemic steroids and methotrexate, were applied in 84.4% of the 1002 patients. The CLASI activity and damage score was higher in treated CLE patients compared to untreated patients, regardless of therapy with topical or systemic agents. In summary, preventive and therapeutic strategies of 1002 patients with different subtypes of CLE were analysed in this prospective, multicentre, Europe-wide study. Sunscreens were confirmed to be successful as preventive agents, and topical steroids showed a high efficacy, whereas antimalarials were used as first-line systemic treatment.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.