Comorbidities in Discoid Lupus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prevalence and Association
March 2026
in “
Dermatology and Therapy
”
TLDR Discoid lupus patients often have other health issues like systemic lupus, hypertension, depression, and hypothyroidism.
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the prevalence and risk of comorbidities in patients with discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), including 25 studies. It found high prevalence rates of systemic lupus erythematosus (22.0%), hypertension (24.3%), depression (38.8%), and hypothyroidism (12.4%) among DLE patients. Significant associations were identified between DLE and cardiovascular disease, hypothyroidism, hypertension, depression, and anxiety, though associations with type 2 diabetes were modest and smoking was not significant. The study emphasizes the need for comprehensive clinical assessment and multidisciplinary management of DLE patients, while noting that the associations should be interpreted cautiously due to limited evidence.
