Dermatomyositis-like eruption induced by hydroxyurea: a case report.
A 74-year-old patient, suffering for 20 years from polycythemia rubra vera, was treated with hydroxyurea for 2 years. Intensive xerosis (ichthyosis-like) and violaceous papules on the dorsal hand surfaces were observed. There was also reddish purple periorbital erythema resembling "heliotrope erythema". Such a disease pattern has been described as "hydroxyurea-induced dermatomyositis-like eruption" - a drug-adverse reaction associated with hydroxyurea therapy. The reaction has typical dermal features of dermatomyositis without any systemic symptoms (in the case of our patient, antinuclear antibodies absent and creatine phosphokinase within the normal range). The above reaction is associated with chronic hydroxyurea uptake and, after withdrawing the drug, alleviation of skin lesions usually takes place after 10 days to 18 months with no recurrences. In the case of our patient, we observed clinical improvement after 3 months; xerosis decreased, heliotrope erythema vanished, and there was also a decrease in both the number and intensity of violaceous papules on the dorsal hand surfaces.
Dept. of Dermatology and Allergic Diseases, University of Medical Sciences, ul. Przybyszewskiego 49, 60-355 Poznan, Poland. djenerowicz@yahoo.com
Dorota
D
Janerowicz
Magdalena
M
Czarnecka-Operacz
Maciej
M
Stawny
Wojciech
W
Silny
D000368:Aged; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011087:Polycythemia Vera / Q000188:drug therapy
D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; D006918:Hydroxyurea