Laryngeal involvement by systemic lupus erythematosus.

Indirect laryngeal photography with the rod laryngeal telescope provided an excellent method of documenting evolution of the laryngeal pathology in two cases of systemic lupus erythematosus. This disease may have mucosal or serosal manifestations in the larynx. Currently, management of mucosal disease includes acute and long-term corticosteroid therapy, and should the airway become compromised by edema or scarring, then tracheostomy and specific laryngeal reconstruction during a quiescent period in the disease is required. The course of serosal involvement, notably cricoarytenoid arthritis, may be followed by observing vocal cord motion sequentially and assessing the degree of throat pain. Oral corticosteroids in maintenance dosages is the accepted modality of treatment, with dosage being boosted for exacerbations.