SCLE Diagnosis

[cherbein]

My 93 year old mother was just diagnosed with SCLE.  The derm wants an eye exam and more blood work to ultimately put her on the drug Plaquenil after the current treatment with prednisone ends.  Is this treatment really needed?  We do not care about her 'appearance' so just want to make sure this treatment is needed for medical reasons?  If no treatment, will it always be there - or perhaps just pop up from time to time?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Plaquenil contains hydroxycholoroquine is indicated for the suppressive treatment and treatment of acute attacks of malaria and is useful and in patients with the following disorders who have not responded satisfactorily to drugs in SCLE and rheumatoid arthritis.

You can follow up with this drug after the reports come fine.
It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[maatson]

Antimalarials seem to prevent complications like a blood vessel block to the brain.Your mum must live to 100,
(And with proper follow up) Should continue with  Plaquenil. ok? Best wishes.

Ref-.Jung H, Bobba R, Su J, Shariati-Sarabi Z, Gladman DD, Urowitz M, et al. The protective effect of antimalarial drugs on thrombovascular events in systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Rheum. Mar 2010;62(3):863-8. [Medline].