Lupus erythematosus and avascular bone necrosis: A clinical study of three cases and review of the literature

Avascular necrosis of the femoral head was observed in two patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and one patient with facial discoid lupus erythematosus and equivocal evidence of dissemination. Histologic studies in one case suggested widespread vasculitis. One of the patients had never received corticosteroid treatment. Therefore, it seems somewhat more likely that the avascular necrosis is due to lupus erythematosus than to steroid‐induced vasculitis.