title: [Extensive cutaneous-subcutaneous infiltration as a side-effect of interferon-beta injection].
abstract: Interferon alpha and gamma have been used to treat several hepatic, hematological and oncological diseases for years. Recently, interferon beta has been introduced as a therapeutic agent in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. A 41-year-old female patient with multiple sclerosis developed non-tender, palm-sized, cutaneous-subcutaneous, reddish infiltrates at the injection sites on her thighs after 8 weeks of treatment with subcutaneous interferon beta injections. Histopathology revealed a perivascular lymphoid infiltrate of the dermis and a subtle lobular lymphoid infiltrate of the subcutis. Interferon beta therapy was discontinued for 4 weeks. With topical corticosteroids, the skin lesions resolved. When subcutaneous injections were resumed at a reduced dose, only erythema around injection sites developed without induration or pain. Slight erythema and swelling at interferon beta injection site are frequent and rare cases of cutaneous necrosis have been described. However, no reports of large, painful, cutaneous-subcutaneous infiltrates after interferon beta therapy have been published.
authors.affiliation: Klinische Abteilung für Umweltdermatologie und Venerologie, Karl-Franzens-Universität, Graz.
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kränke
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soyer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Aberer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D016899:Interferon-beta
vernacular_title: Grossflächige kutan-subkutane Infiltrate als Nebenwirkung von Interferon-beta-Injektion.