title: Cocaine use and its rheumatic manifestations: a case report and discussion.
abstract: Cocaine use can be associated with a wide spectrum of rheumatic manifestations. It poses a diagnostic challenge as the patients usually withhold the information of cocaine use, and no serological tests are available to establish this diagnosis. We report a patient with vasculopathic syndrome secondary to cocaine use. Despite initial denial of drug abuse, skin biopsy suggested the diagnosis, which was subsequently confirmed by urine drug testing. Differentiating cocaine-associated pseudovasculitis from true vasculitis is necessary, as conventional treatment is usually ineffective without complete abstinence from cocaine use and may be associated with significant morbidity as well as mortality.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N. State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA. bhindersumeet@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Sumeet K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Bhinder
authors.forename: Vikas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Majithia
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D003042:Cocaine / Q000652:urine; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005337:Fibrin / Q000378:metabolism; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D005337:Fibrin; D003042:Cocaine; D011241:Prednisone