[Methotrexate-induced skin detachment]

The undesirable effects of high-dose methotrexate on integument and mucosa are well-known, but lesions of the skin proper, characterized by distal erythema with desquamation, are rare. We report the case of a male patient presenting with extensive skin erosions after intravenous infusion of a 5 gram total dose of methotrexate to treat high-grade lymphoma. The skin disease was accompanied by renal, hepatic and mucosal lesions, as well as bone marrow aplasia. The mechanism of cutaneous necrosis is uncertain, but it might be due to direct toxicity of methotrexate to the epidermis. The patient was also treated with G-CSF. He recovered from aplasia within 6 days, without infectious complications. Haematopoietic growth factors might have reduced the risk of infection arising from the skin, by shortening the duration of cytopenia.