[Pseudolupus: a severe side effect of a varicose vein drug?]

Among 7 patients with "pseudolupus" (a lupus erythematodes-like syndrome with antimitochondrial antibodies) an unusual incidence of varicose veins was noted. Reexamination of their histories revealed that all had been taking the same rather uncommon drug "Venocuran" for a prolonged period before developing the typical symptoms of this disease (recurrent fever, perimyocarditis, myalgias). They appeared on average 7 months after initiation of drug therapy and lasted for weeks or months even when the drug was promptly withdrawn. It is probable, though by no means certain, that one or several components of this drug play an important role in the pathogenesis of this immunologically distinct disease.