Athlete's Foot Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Athlete's Foot, including details on tinea, causes, treatment, prevention.

Terbinafine-induced subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus.

Farhi D, Viguier M, Cosnes A, Reygagne P, Dubertret L, Revuz J, Roujeau JC, Bachelez H

Department of Dermatology 1, Saint Louis Hospital, Paris, France.

BACKGROUND: Nearly 10% of lupus erythematosus (LE) are drug induced. More than 60 different drugs are involved in iatrogenic LE. We report herein 3 cases of terbinafine-induced LE. OBSERVATIONS: Three patients receiving terbinafine for a suspected dermatophytic infection developed a subacute cutaneous LE, within 7 weeks following terbinafine introduction. The patients' medical history included sicca syndrome, lung carcinoma and Kikuchi disease, respectively. Clinical remission occurred within 15 weeks following terbinafine withdrawal. DISCUSSION: Sixteen cases of terbinafine-induced LE have been previously reported, including 13 women. The median age was 54 years. Prior autoimmunity was reported in 10 cases, including 5 pre-existing LE. The median delay between terbinafine introduction and LE onset was 5 weeks. The median time until clinical recovery following terbinafine withdrawal was 8 weeks. CONCLUSION: Terbinafine should be prescribed only in patients with proven dermatophytosis. We recommend cautious monitoring in patients with pre-existing autoimmunity. The diagnosis of terbinafine-induced LE should lead to the immediate and definitive withdrawal of the drug.

Published 1 December 2005 in Dermatology, 212(1): 59-65.
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