Practice and Educational Gaps in Lupus, Dermatomyositis, and Morphea

• Published in: Dermatologic clinics Vol. 34; no. 3; pp. 243 - 250
• Main Authors: Fett, Nicole M., MD, MSCE, Fiorentino, David, MD, PhD, Werth, Victoria P., MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.07.2016
• Subjects: Dermatology; Dermatology - education; Dermatology - standards; Dermatomyositis; Dermatomyositis - diagnosis; Dermatomyositis - drug therapy; Directive Counseling; Education, Medical, Continuing; Educational gaps; Humans; Internship and Residency; Lupus; Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous - diagnosis; Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous - drug therapy; Morphea; Patient Education as Topic; Practice; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Practice Patterns, Physicians; Quality of Life; Scleroderma, Localized - diagnosis; Scleroderma, Localized - drug therapy; Severity of Illness Index; Lupus; Morphea; Practice; Educational gaps; Dermatomyositis
• ISSN: 0733-8635; 1558-0520
• DOI: 10.1016/j.det.2016.02.006

Patients with skin-predominant lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, and morphea should be evaluated, treated, and followed by dermatologists who can take primary responsibility for their care. Many academic centers have specialized centers with dermatologists who care for these patients. Patients with skin-predominant lupus erythematosus should be followed regularly with laboratory tests to detect significant systemic disease. Antibody tests can help determine the risks for individual patients. Patients with morphea rarely progress to systemic disease, but therapies can be helpful in treating and preventing progression of disease.