[Does cutaneous lupus erythematodes really exist?].

It should be obvious today that systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients are better treated in an interdisciplinary approach. Nonetheless, the question remains as to whether cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) indeed constitutes a disease entity of its own rather than the only recognized manifestation of oligosymptomatic SLE. The ACR criteria, designed for classification rather than diagnosis, are of limited value in answering this question. However, the concept of specific autoantibodies and immune complexes as inducers of various organ manifestations and analogous ideas on other autoantibody-mediated problems within and outside SLE argue for CLE as an existing entity. This is relevant for understanding the underlying immunopathogenesis, while less important for the appropriate therapy.