Premium
HOW RELIABLE IS THE BASEMENT MEMBRANE PHENOMENON IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS?
Author(s) -
ALFOUZAN ABDULWAHAB S.,
HASSABELNABY HUSSEIN M.M.,
DVORAK RICHARD
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-4362.1995.tb03613.x
Subject(s) - medicine , lupus erythematosus , antibody , basement membrane , immunofluorescence , immunology , pathology , dermatology
Background. Although the basement membrane (BM) phenomenon is considered a good test to differentiate between systemic (SLE) and discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), our observations question its reliability. Methods. Direct immunofluorescence stain was done to detect immunoglobulins and complement deposits in 10 SLE patients and in 10 healthy controls. Specimens were taken from the normal skin of the dorsa of hands. Results. The group of SLE patients showed deposits of IgG in 4, IgM in 7, IgA in 1, C3 in 7, and C4 in 1 patient. The group of healthy controls showed IgM in 2, C3 in 5, C4 in 2 cases, but no IgG or IgA deposits. Conclusion. A positive BM phenomenon test could be found in normal individuals and may be due to the effect of ultraviolet rays. We think that the BM phenomenon has a limited reliability in diagnosing SLE.