Oral manifestations of systemic and cutaneous lupus erythematosus in a Venezuelan population

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to characterize oral lesions in patients with systemic and cutaneous lupus erythematosus (LE) in a Venezuelan group. METHODS: Ninety patients with LE were studied. Oral biopsies were taken from patients who showed oral mucosal involvement. Tissue samples were investigated with histology and direct immunofluorescence techniques for the presence of immunoglobulins G, M, A and complement factor C3. RESULTS: In 90 patients with LE, 10 patients showed oral lesions related to the disease. Sixteen lesions were investigated. Oral ulcerations accompanied by white irradiating striae occurred in five patients, erythema was observed in five patients and a white homogeneous plaque in one patient. Fifteen lesions demonstrated vacuolar basal degeneration and 12 thickening of the basement membrane histologically. Direct immunofluorescence was negative in three samples. CONCLUSIONS: These findings corroborated that ulcers are not the only manifestation of LE in the oral mucosa. Clinical and histological examinations are significant as immunoproteins are not always found on the oral sample.