title: Photolocalized purpura during levofloxacin therapy.
abstract: Side-effects associated with levofloxacin treatment include phototoxicity, hypersensitivity and skin disorders. Purpuric eruptions have rarely been reported. We describe the case of a 75-year-old woman who was prescribed a 15-day course of levofloxacin (500 mg twice a day) for hemorrhagic cystitis. On exposure to sunlight, the patient developed a pruritic purpuric eruption on the lower extremities. The acute reaction differed from a classical sunburn, manifesting as confluent petechiae limited to sun-exposed areas and accompanied by pruritus. This was a rare case of solar capillaritis. Purpuric eruptions on photoexposed skin should be considered another unusual side effect of levofloxacin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and Immunological Sciences, Dermatology Section, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. rubegni@unisi.it
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rubegni
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feci
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pellegrino
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fimiani
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003556:Cystitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011693:Purpura / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin