Background and aims To evaluate the financial impact of laboratory analysis costs for patients with Cutaneous Lupus Eythematosus(CLE) and to compare with European recommendation regarding the CLE Core Set Investigations.

A retrospective statistical study of patients with CLE of both genders (57 patients/1 year), on a daily basis or multiple days hospitalisation.The diagnosis ranged from Chronic Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CCLE) to Subacute Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus(SCLE) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus(SLE).

Methods Average laboratory analysis costs for patients admitted for one day hospitalisation and prolonged hospitalisation, standard deviation for each category were calculated for one year on different subtypes of CLE.

Results The average laboratory analysis cost was 19 €/patient/1 day hospitalisation for previously diagnosed cases and 26 € for new cases (with cutaneous biopsy). Remarkable differences were observed in the individual laboratory analysis costs between patients. No uniform pattern was noticed in each category. The cost of the laboratory analysis panel recommended by the European Guidelines for CLE is 150 €/patient, comparing with the highest average value of 77.5 €/patient for prolonged hospitalisation.

Conclusions The results suggest a remarkable difference in the costs of laboratory analysis for each patient with CLE (for 1 day or for prolonged hospitalisation) admitted in the hospital despite the existing protocol. A lack of uniform standardised pattern was observed among all patients with different diagnoses of LE.

This shows an adapted version of the European guidelines for CLE in some European countries where the healthcare budget may be less extended and also a lack of knowledge regarding the existing protocol for CLE investigations.