BACKGROUND: Lupus erythematosus is a chronic multifactorial auto-immune and inflammatory disease of the connective tissue with skin or multisystemic manifestations, characterized by production of auto-antibodies against cell components. OBJECTIVE: To assess clinical and epidemiological aspects, and particularly smoking habits in patients with lupus erythematosus. METHODS: Records of 80 patients seen between 2002 and 2006 at the Dermatology Outpatients´s Clinic, Teaching Hospital, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, with diagnosis of cutaneous or systemic lupus erythematosus, were retrospectively assessed. RESULTS: The mean age at onset was 40 years, with a female predominance over males (5.6:1), and 60 of patients were Caucasian. Among diverse clinical manifestations, 45 had discoid lupus erythematosus, 43.75 had acute lupus erythematosus, 6.25 had subacute lupus erythematosus, 2.5 presented with lupus erythematosus tumidus, 1.25 had lupus erythematosus profundus and 1.25 had perniotic lupus erythematosus. The majority of patients were smokers (71.25 ), 6.25 were former smokers and 22.5 non-smokers. CONCLUSION: There is evidence that cigarette smoking is a risk factor for the development of cutaneous lupus erythematosus with or without systemic manifestations, in genetically predisposed individuals.
Collagen diseases; Lupus erythematosus, cutaneous; Lupus erythematosus, systemic; Smoking
