title: Vasculitis attributed to the nicotine patch (Nicotinell).
abstract: Nicotine-containing patches are used to facilitate tobacco withdrawal by mitigating abstinence symptoms and diminishing craving. We describe two patients who developed vasculitis in association with the use of a nicotine patch. The first concerns a patient who developed fever, arthritis, a generalized erythema and purpuric lesions, after 3 days use of nicotine patches. Laboratory results and a skin biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of a leucocytoclastic vasculitis. After stopping use of the patch, the patient recovered. On challenge, the symptoms reappeared. The second patient developed purpuric lesions during the use of nicotine patches, and recovered fully after these were stopped. In these patients, nicotine patches seem to be causally related to the development of vasculitis.
authors: Netherlands Centre for Monitoring of Adverse Reactions to Drugs, Rijswijk.
authors: M M
authors: MM
authors: Van der Klauw
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Van Hillo
authors: W H
authors: WH
authors: Van den Berg
authors: E P
authors: EP
authors: Bolsius
authors: F F
authors: FF
authors: Sutorius
authors: B H
authors: BH
authors: Stricker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017445:Skin Diseases, Vascular / Q000209:etiology*; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D018366:Vasculitis, Leukocytoclastic, Cutaneous / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D009538:Nicotine