The History of Lupus Erythematosus and Discoid Lupus: From Hippocrates to the Present

Lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that affects primarily women and whose cause is unknown. The diagnosis arises from a patient that may show singular signs or signs of a multisystem disease; there is a presence of autoantibodies, and other diseases with similar properties are ruled out. Two main forms of the disease exist; the discoid and the disseminated forms. Hippocrates was the first to document symptoms consistent with that of lupus erythematosus in the year 400 BC. Many physicians have studied and added to the current day knowledge of lupus erythematosus. The history of lupus erythematosus is divided into three categories: the classical period, the neoclassical period, and the modern period. Each period is marked with important discoveries that have allowed a better understanding of this disease.