CASE REPORTS   

Esperienze Dermatologiche 2014 June;16(2):87-9

Copyright © 2014 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Vitiligo induced by treatment with IFN-α 2b in a patient affected by Kaposi’s sarcoma

Berruti V., Gimma A., Taviti F., Cardinali C.

Unità Operativa di Dermatologia, USL 4, Prato, Italia

Vitiligo is a chronic pigmentary disorder characterized by achromic macules. Many theories have been proposed to explain its pathogenesis and the most validated seems to be the autoimmune one. A few cases have been described in literature with regards to drug-induced vitiligo, namely after treatments with immunomodulatory agents such as those used for type C hepatitis or melanoma. We describe the case of a 67-year-old female patient who referred to our dermatological outpatient clinic due to the worsening of a pre-existing Kaposi’s sarcoma, diagnosed 30 years before. We started a treatment with interferon-α 2b, but after a few months the patient developed achromic vitiligo macules and a positivity for ANA, ENA and PM-SCL, suggestive of a condition of sclero-miositis. This case is useful to stress the importance of immunological clinical and laboratory analysis in patients under continuative treatment with immunomodulatory agents.