Who is credited with the early naming and descriptions of SLE?
- 1230—Rogerius Frugardi, a surgeon at the medical school in Salerno, used the term lupus (latin for “wolf”) to describe ulcerative skin lesions that were reminiscent of what would be caused by a wolf’s bite. Most of these referred to lesions on extremities (not the face) and were probably due to tuberculosis, syphilis, or cancer.
- 1500–1800—Paracelsus and others used the term lupus to describe ulcerative skin lesions from any cause. Attempts made at identifying subtypes.
- 1808—Robert Willan, considered the founder of British dermatology, describes lupus vulgaris due to tuberculosis causing lesions with ulcerations on the face.
- 1833— Laurant Biett with student Pierre Cazenave described and published description of discoid lupus on the face and called it “erythema centrifugum.”
- 1845—Ferdinand von Hebra described the butterfly rash on the nose and cheeks. Separates skin lupus from lesions caused by tuberculosis and syphilis.
- 1852—Pierre Cazenave coined the term lupus erythemateux. Published it in the first dermatology textbook (1856), Atlas of Skin Diseases.
- 1872—Moritz Kaposi, who was a student and son-in-law of von Hebra, separated discoid lupus from systemic “disseminated” lupus.
- 1895–1903—Sir William Osler describes the systemic features under the name “ erythema exudativum multiforme with visceral injuries.” Describes renal and central nervous system involvement.
- 1904–1940— Other lupus manifestations described: pulmonary (1908), Libman-Sacks endocarditis (1923), leukopenia and photosensitivity (1939).
- 1948—Malcolm Hargraves described the lupus erythematosus cell in bone marrow aspirates.
- 1949— J.R. Haserick reported that the “LE cell factor” are immunoglobulins in lupus patients’ sera reacting with bone marrow cells.
- 1954—Peter Miescher described the absorption of the “LE cell factor” by cell nuclei.
- 1957—Multiple investigators including Henry Kunkel described antibodies against dsDNA in lupus sera.
- 1958—George Friou described the method identifying antinuclear antibodies by labeling with fluorescent antihuman globulin.
- 1959–1975—Henry Kunkel and his investigators at the Rockefeller identified antibodies reacting with “extractable nuclear antigens” including Sm, Ro, and La.
