Psoriasiform drug eruption: A case series with a review of the literature

Abstract

The present case series examined five instances of psoriasiform drug eruption diagnosed between 2014 and 2022 at the study site and 23 cases of drug eruption manifesting psoriasiform lesions which had been reported between 1986 and 2022. The causative drug, distribution of the skin eruptions, clinical latency to eruption, treatment course, and histopathological findings were investigated. The most common causative agents were calcium channel blockers (CCB) (64.5%). Of the 28 cases of psoriasiform drug eruption for which details of the eruption sites were reported, 46.4% occurred on the face, which was slightly higher than the usual distribution of psoriasis. CCB were responsible for 80.0% of the cases of facial skin rash. The mean time from the administration of the suspected drug to eruption onset was 25.0 months (range: 0.5–120 months; median: 13.0 months). In all the cases, the skin rash improved after the causative drug was discontinued. CCB were the most common causative agent, and the eruptions more commonly occurred on the face than in normal psoriasis, suggesting that it is especially important to confirm whether there is a history of CCB administration in psoriasis patients with extensive, facial skin eruptions.