Early onset pauciarticular arthritis is the major risk factor for naproxen-induced pseudoporphyria in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Clinical Characteristics and Inciting Agents for Pseudoporphyria: The Mayo Clinic Experience, 1996-2020

GENERAL PURPOSE

To raise awareness regarding the clinical presentations of patients with pseudoporphyria.

TARGET AUDIENCE

This continuing education activity is intended for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses with an interest in skin and wound care.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES

After participating in this educational activity, the participant will:1. Describe the clinical presentation of pseudoporphyria.2. Identify the differential diagnoses of blistering lesions on hands and feet.3. Outline the management options for patients with porphyria.

Efficacy and Safety of NSAIDs in Infants: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature of the Past 20 Years

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used in infants, children, and adolescents worldwide; however, despite sufficient evidence of the beneficial effects of NSAIDs in children and adolescents, there is a lack of comprehensive data in infants. The present review summarizes the current knowledge on the safety and efficacy of various NSAIDs used in infants for which data are available, and includes ibuprofen, dexibuprofen, ketoprofen, flurbiprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, ketorolac, indomethacin, niflumic acid, meloxicam, celecoxib, parecoxib, rofecoxib, acetylsalicylic acid, and nimesulide. The efficacy of NSAIDs has been documented for a variety of conditions, such as fever and pain. NSAIDs are also the main pillars of anti-inflammatory treatment, such as in pediatric inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Limited data are available on the safety of most NSAIDs in infants. Adverse drug reactions may be renal, gastrointestinal, hematological, or immunologic. Since NSAIDs are among the most frequently used drugs in the pediatric population, safety and efficacy studies can be performed as part of normal clinical routine, even in young infants. Available data sources, such as (electronic) medical records, should be used for safety and efficacy analyses. On a larger scale, existing data sources, e.g. adverse drug reaction programs/networks, spontaneous national reporting systems, and electronic medical records should be assessed with child-specific methods in order to detect safety signals pertinent to certain pediatric age groups or disease entities. To improve the safety of NSAIDs in infants, treatment needs to be initiated with the lowest age-appropriate or weight-based dose. Duration of treatment and amount of drug used should be regularly evaluated and maximum dose limits and other recommendations by the manufacturer or expert committees should be followed. Treatment for non-chronic conditions such as fever and acute (postoperative) pain should be kept as short as possible. Patients with chronic conditions should be regularly monitored for possible adverse effects of NSAIDs.

Furosemide-induced pseudoporphyria in a patient with chronic kidney disease: case report

Introduction:

Pseudoporphyria is a rare photodermatosis with characteristics similar to those of porphyria cutanea tarda, without, however, presenting abnormalities in porphyrin metabolism. Its etiology is related to chronic kidney disease, ultraviolet radiation and certain medications. The aim of the present study is to describe a case of furosemide-related pseudoporphyria in a patient with chronic kidney disease.

Case description:

A 76-year-old male patient with stage 4 chronic kidney disease and in continuous use of furosemide presented ulcerated lesions with peripheral erythema and central hematic crust in the legs. On a skin infection suspicion, treatment with quinolone and neomycin sulfate was initiated, without improvement. A biopsy of the lesion was performed, with histopathological examination demonstrating findings compatible with porphyria, although the patient did not present high porphyrin levels. The diagnosis of furosemide-induced pseudoporphyria was then established, with medication suspension, and there was a significant improvement of the lesions.

Discussion:

There are few cases of pseudoporphyria described, but it is believed that this condition is underdiagnosed, especially in patients with chronic kidney disease. Both clinical and histopathological findings closely resemble porphyria, differentiating it from normal levels of porphyrin in plasma, urine, or feces.

Conclusions:

Although the lesions are mostly benign, they may increase the morbidity and mortality of these patients, so a proper diagnosis and early treatment are extremely important.

An overview of the cutaneous porphyrias

This is an overview of the cutaneous porphyrias. It is a narrative review based on the published literature and my personal experience; it is not based on a formal systematic search of the literature. The cutaneous porphyrias are a diverse group of conditions due to inherited or acquired enzyme defects in the porphyrin-haem biosynthetic pathway. All the cutaneous porphyrias can have (either as a consequence of the porphyria or as part of the cause of the porphyria) involvement of other organs as well as the skin. The single commonest cutaneous porphyria in most parts of the world is acquired porphyria cutanea tarda, which is usually due to chronic liver disease and liver iron overload. The next most common cutaneous porphyria, erythropoietic protoporphyria, is an inherited disorder in which the accumulation of bile-excreted protoporphyrin can cause gallstones and, rarely, liver disease. Some of the porphyrias that cause blistering (usually bullae) and fragility (clinically and histologically identical to porphyria cutanea tarda) can also be associated with acute neurovisceral porphyria attacks, particularly variegate porphyria and hereditary coproporphyria. Management of porphyria cutanea tarda mainly consists of visible-light photoprotection measures while awaiting the effects of treating the underlying liver disease (if possible) and treatments to reduce serum iron and porphyrin levels. In erythropoietic protoporphyria, the underlying cause can be resolved only with a bone marrow transplant (which is rarely justifiable in this condition), so management consists particularly of visible-light photoprotection and, in some countries, narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy. Afamelanotide is a promising and newly available treatment for erythropoietic protoporphyria and has been approved in Europe since 2014.

Imatinib mesylate-induced pseudoporphyria in two children

Imatinib mesylate was the first of several tyrosine kinase inhibitors approved for use in the treatment of a number of human cancers. Adverse cutaneous reactions to imatinib are common. Pseudoporphyria has been infrequently reported in adults undergoing imatinib therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia. We present two children with pseudoporphyria induced by imatinib therapy for hematologic malignancies. In view of the burgeoning use of imatinib in children, physicians should be aware that pseudoporphyria may develop as a consequence of imatinib therapy.

Environmental dermatology in childhood: photosensitivity

Recently, sunlight-induced damage of healthy human skin, including skin malignancies and a large scale of photodermatoses representing a diverse group of diseases, have increased in childhood as a result of unfavorable environmental changes. This article yields an overview of the diagnosis, the clinical features and the treatment of these conditions and disorders and also reveals perspectives. Some diseases are more frequent in the pediatric population than in adulthood, whereas others heal spontaneously during adolescence and vice versa. The majority of cases are idiopathic photodermatoses, mainly polymorphic light eruption. Photosensitivity may be an early symptom of genetic disorders, such as porphyria, or very rare genophotodermatoses. Photosensitivity, secondary to topical or systemic external agents as well as photoexacerbated dermatoses, is not so frequent in childhood. Effective photoprotection is crucial.

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis: what is it and how should it be treated?

BACKGROUND

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is the most severe form of chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis. In children and adolescents, chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis predominantly affects the metaphyses of the long bones, but lesions can occur at any site in the skeleton. Other organs (the skin, eyes, gastrointestinal tract and lungs) can also be affected. Clinical diagnosis is often difficult because the symptoms and course of disease vary significantly. We present a 10-year-old girl diagnosed with CRMO involving several vertebrae, the femur and the metatarsus.

INVESTIGATIONS

Physical examination, abdominal ultra sonography, conventional X-ray, MRI, technetium bone scan, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, tests for HLA-B27 and thiopurine methyltransferase, polymerase chain reaction and thoracic vertebral bone biopsies.

DIAGNOSIS

CRMO and Crohn's disease.

MANAGEMENT

The patient's condition improved whilst being treated with NSAIDs for 3 months; however, the patient had an allergic skin reaction to this therapy. Treatment was switched to sulfasalazine, accompanied by 3 weeks of therapy using oral prednisone, but sulfasalazine was discontinued 2 months later because the patient exhibited a minor elevation in the levels of liver enzymes. The patient was free of musculoskeletal symptoms for 6 months, at which time she started to complain again about pain in her back and bowel. Multimodal therapy, consisting of mesasalazine, corticosteroids (budesonide) and azathioprine, induced clinical remission of Crohn's disease.