Neonatal lupus erythematosus. A report of three cases associated with anti-Ro/SSA antibodies.

Three patients had neonatal lupus erythematosus syndrome. All three infants were girls who presented with characteristic skin lesions but without evidence of congenital heart block. All three mothers were asymptomatic at the time of delivery and have remained so until the present time. All mothers were positive for anti-Ro/SSA antibodies, as were the infants prior to 6 months of age. Anti-La/SSB antibodies were not present in either the mothers or the infants. HLA typing revealed that two of the mothers were positive for B8 and DR3, while the third mother was positive for B8 and DR2. Two of the infants were positive for B8 and DR3, while the third infant was positive for DR2 only.