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Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Minimal Erythema Dose (MED) Testing

Minimal Erythema Dose (MED) Testing

Published on: May 28, 2013

Erythema multiforme photoinduced by statins.

Laura Rodríguez-Pazos¹, Dolores Sánchez-Aguilar, María Teresa Rodríguez-Granados

¹Department of Dermatology, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario, Faculty of Medicine, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. jaime.toribio@usc.es

Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine

|July 15, 2010

Summary

Two patients experienced systemic photosensitivity, presenting as erythema multiforme, after taking statin medications like simvastatin and pravastatin. Discontinuing the statins resolved the sun-induced skin reactions, confirming drug-induced photosensitivity.

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Last Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Minimal Erythema Dose (MED) Testing

Minimal Erythema Dose (MED) Testing

Published on: May 28, 2013

Precision Implementation of Minimal Erythema Dose (MED) Testing to Assess Individual Variation in Human Inflammatory Response

Precision Implementation of Minimal Erythema Dose (MED) Testing to Assess Individual Variation in Human Inflammatory Response

Published on: October 3, 2019

Area of Science:

Dermatology
Pharmacology

Background:

Statins are widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Photosensitivity is a known, though uncommon, adverse drug reaction.

Observation:

Two patients developed photodistributed erythema multiforme after ingesting statins (simvastatin and pravastatin).
One patient had a 12-year history of recurrent sun-induced eruptions, while the other presented with a 1-week history of facial and hand lesions.
Neither patient had a history of herpes simplex virus infection.

Findings:

A temporal link between statin intake and the onset of photosensitive reactions was observed.
PhotodProvoked skin reactions improved upon statin discontinuation and worsened with re-exposure.
Phototesting revealed reduced minimal erythema dose (MED) for UVB or both UVA/UVB while on statins, normalizing after cessation.

Implications:

These cases highlight statin-induced photosensitivity as a potential cause of erythema multiforme.
Clinicians should consider statin-induced photosensitivity in patients presenting with unexplained photodermatitis.
Awareness of this adverse effect can lead to timely diagnosis and management, improving patient outcomes.