title: Clinical and immunohistochemical studies of skin eruptions: relationship to administration of interferon-alpha.
abstract: We observed transient, erythematous skin eruptions in 6 patients during the intravenous administration of interferon (INF)-alpha for chronic active hepatitis C. The eruptions appeared 5 to 14 days (mean: 6.8 days) after initiating its administration. They were localized or disseminated and consisted of edematous, erythematous, and/or papular changes. Vesicles and petechiae also appeared in some cases. The eruptions disappeared in 10 to 14 days, despite the continuance of INF-alpha and without specific treatment. Histological examination obtained from skin eruptions revealed perivascular infiltration of lymphoid cells, the majority which were CD4-positive, of the upper dermis. Edematous changes were present in the papillary dermis. Vascular endothelial cells in the upper dermis expressed both intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 (ELAM-1), while the epidermal keratinocytes produced neither. These findings suggested a nonallergic mechanism for such eruptions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kyushu University Faculty of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toyofuku
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imayama
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yasumoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kiryu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001768:Blister / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D019040:E-Selectin; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004890:Erythema / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000628:therapy; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011693:Purpura / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019040:E-Selectin; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1