Chronic Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus: Depression Burden and Associated Factors

Objectives Depression may occur in up to 30% of individuals with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), many of whom may also have systemic manifestations. Chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CCLE) conditions are less likely to present systemic involvement than acute and subacute conditions but more often cause permanent scarring and dyspigmentation. However, little is known about depression in those who have CCLE confined to the skin (primary CCLE). As African Americans are at high risk for primary CCLE and depression, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of and explore the risk factors for depression in a population-based cohort of predominantly Black patients with primary CCLE.