[Minocycline-induced lupus erythematodes]

We report the case of an 18-year-old woman with arthralgia and swelling of distal joints at hands and feet, photosensitive reaction, butterfly rash, fatigue, tachypnea and unspecific cardiac pain three months after beginning a treatment with minocycline for acne. Recurrence of symptoms at a higher intensity occurred within hours of reexposition with minocycline. The antinuclear antibody test was positive. After withdrawal of minocycline, the symptoms improved and minocycline-induced lupus was diagnosed. In the Swissmedic and WHO adverse drug reaction databases 267 other cases of possible minocycline-induced lupus were identified. Typical clinical and laboratory features are arthralgia, arthritis, myalgia, increased transaminases and/or jaundice, unspecific symptoms like fatigue and fever, skin disorders and positive antinuclear antibodies.