Cutaneous immunofluorescence studies in adult rheumatoid arthritis in sun-exposed and non-sun-exposed areas.

The incidence and significance of positive cutaneous immunofluorescence findings were assessed in biopsy specimens of both sun-exposed and non-sun-exposed skin of 34 adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were not receiving systemic corticosteroids. The incidence of lupus erythematosus (LE)-band was low (8.6%) in both groups. Twenty-eight percent of the patients had perivascular IgM and/or C3 deposits, and 74% had cytoid bodies in the papillary dermis. These studies indicate that the incidence of LE band is low in RA and that the detection of such a band in normal skin warrants close follow-up of RA patients for possible development of LE.