Cutaneous lupus erythematosus presenting as a nonhealing ulcer in an African American woman: A case report

Abstract Objective Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is a chronic autoimmune disorder of the skin. Methods In this report, we describe the case of an African American woman with CLE who had an ulcer on her posterior thigh. Despite this, initial biopsy specimen of the lesion revealed no evidence of CLE until a repeat biopsy 5 months later. Conclusions This case underscores the importance of considering CLE in patients with chronic ulcers resistant to initial therapy and demonstrates the value of performing a re-biopsy when the results of the initial biopsy do not explain the clinical presentation.