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Trauma-induced cutaneous pigmentation from tetracycline: a case report
Wesley Hawfield1, Robert Goodrich, Simon Warren
1School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
Pediatric Dermatology
|April 14, 2004
Summary
Tetracycline can cause skin discoloration, particularly in areas of injury. This case report details a rare instance of lower extremity pigmentation in a patient undergoing tetracycline treatment.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Tetracycline antibiotics are known to cause pigmentation in various tissues including teeth, bone, and nails.
- Skin pigmentation is a documented side effect of minocycline, a semisynthetic tetracycline derivative, but not typically of tetracycline itself.
Observation:
- An 18-year-old female patient developed skin discoloration during tetracycline therapy.
- The pigmentation occurred specifically in areas of the lower extremities that had experienced trauma.
Findings:
- This case presents a rare instance of skin pigmentation induced by tetracycline.
- The observed pigmentation was localized to sites of physical injury, suggesting a potential mechanism related to trauma.
Implications:
- Highlights the potential for tetracycline to cause skin hyperpigmentation, contrary to previous understanding.
- Suggests that trauma may be a contributing factor in the development of tetracycline-induced skin discoloration.
- Warrants consideration of skin pigmentation as a possible adverse effect of tetracycline, especially in patients with a history of injury.