Direct Immunofluorescence in Cutaneous and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Literature Review

Cutaneous manifestations of lupus erythematosus (LE) have a variety of clinical phenotypes and require proper investigation for diagnosis. Knowledge of the direct immunofluorescence (DIF) technique has improved and played an important role in the diagnosis of cutaneous LE. This review explores and summarizes reported DIF findings of each cutaneous LE variant. Historically, DIF findings of cutaneous LE have revealed deposits of multiple immunoreactants at the dermo-epidermal junction with either linear or granular patterns. Immunoglobulin M is the most common immunoreactant and DIF findings of cutaneous LE variants overlap. Therefore, diagnosis of cutaneous LE requires a combination of monitoring patient history, physical examinations and laboratory studies.