CASE REPORT   

Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 1999 October;134(5):481-4

Copyright © 1999 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Discoid lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, hydroxychloroquin. What is the relationship?

Bardazzi F., D’Acunto C., Raone B., Passarini B.

Università degli Studi - Bologna, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica, Specialistica e Sperimentale, Sezione di Clinica Dermatologica

Psoriasis vulgaris is a common dermatosis affecting from 1 to 3% of general population, on the contrary discoid lupus erythematous (DLE) occurs less frequently. These two diseases have different clinical and histopathological manifestations, furthermore, they have different responses to environmental conditions and treatments. The association of both diseases in the same patient is rare. Two patients affected by psoriasis and DLE are reported. In the first case familiar and personal history was negative for psoriasis, while personal history was positive for psoriasis in the second patient. In the first case psoriasis appared six months after interruption of therapy with hydroxychloroquine. In the second patient hydroxychloroquine therapy worsened the pre-existent psoriasis. The worsening of psoriasis caused by hydroxychloroquine has already been reported; on the contrary, the onset of psoriasis, after hydroxychloroquine therapy has never been reported. Probably in the first patient the deposit of antimalarial drug in the tissue can explain the onset of psoriasis after the interruption of therapy. When a hydroxychloroquine is prescribed it is important to advice the patient of a possible worsening of a pre-existent psoriasis.