[Chronic blepharoconjunctivitis during a treatment with acitretin (Soriatane)].
We report external ocular side effects after treatment with acitretin, a new synthetic vitamin A analogue and the main metabolite of etretinate. A patient treated with 20-25 mg/day of acitretin for psoriasis suffered from chronic blepharoconjunctivitis. Schirmer tests, tear lysozyme were normal while rose bengal and fluorescein staining disclosed epithelial punctate defects and tear break-up time was shortened. Meibomian glands of the lower lid were photographed with transillumination and appeared atrophic. Conjunctival cytology and biopsy showed snake-like chromatine appearance, keratinized epithelial cells and some lymphocytes infiltrates. Accessory salivary gland histological aspects were nonspecific. There was a clear relationship between restarting the acitretin therapy and recurrence of ocular symptoms. Acitretin, like other retinoids, may induce or exacerbate blepharoconjunctivitis in patients with psoriasis.
Denis
P
P
Service d'Ophtalmologie, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Paris.
Nordmann
J P
JP
Saiag
P
P
Liotet
S
S
Laroche
L
L
Saraux
H
H
D017255:Acitretin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000368:Aged; D001762:Blepharitis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male
D017255:Acitretin
Blépharo-conjonctivite chronique au cours d'un traitement par acitrétine (Soriatane).