title: Photoallergic reaction to cyamemazine.
abstract: A 50-year-old man presented with a scaly erythema of the face, upper chest, forearms, and dorsum of the hands. He has been treated with cyamemazine for 6 months. Photopatch tests were performed and the patient was diagnosed with photoallergic reaction to cyamemazine. The drug was discontinued and a course of oral steroids was prescribed. The patient was advised to avoid light exposure. There has been no evidence of recurrence during a six-month follow-up period. Photoallergic reactions are much less frequent than phototoxic disorders. It is well known that several drugs including neuroleptics of the phenothiazine family may produce a skin eruption on light-exposed areas by dose-dependent (phototoxic) or photoallergic mechanisms. It is believed that photopatch testing, which is the clinical investigation of choice for suspected photoallergic reactions, is significantly underused in Europe and probably world-wide.
authors.forename: Iolanda Conde
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vilaça
authors.forename: Inês
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lobo
authors.forename: Madalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanches
authors.forename: Virgílio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Selores
mesh_terms: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017454:Dermatitis, Photoallergic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017484:Dermatitis, Phototoxic / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010328:Patch Tests; D010640:Phenothiazines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D010640:Phenothiazines; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; C028457:cyamemazine