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Photolocalized purpura during levofloxacin therapy

Pietro Rubegni1, Luca Feci, Michele Pellegrino

  • 1Department of Clinical Medicine and Immunological Sciences, Dermatology Section, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. rubegni@unisi.it

Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine
|March 14, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Levofloxacin can cause rare skin reactions, including purpuric eruptions on sun-exposed skin. This solar capillaritis is an unusual side effect to consider during antibiotic treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Levofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, is associated with various side effects.
  • Phototoxicity and hypersensitivity are known cutaneous reactions.
  • Purpuric eruptions are rarely reported with levofloxacin.

Observation:

  • A 75-year-old woman developed a pruritic purpuric eruption on her lower extremities after sun exposure.
  • The reaction occurred during a 15-day course of levofloxacin for hemorrhagic cystitis.
  • The eruption presented as confluent petechiae limited to sun-exposed areas, differing from sunburn.

Findings:

  • The patient's reaction was diagnosed as solar capillaritis.
  • This represents a rare cutaneous manifestation of levofloxacin therapy.
  • Purpuric eruptions on photoexposed skin are an unusual side effect of levofloxacin.

Implications:

  • Clinicians should consider solar capillaritis in patients presenting with purpuric eruptions on sun-exposed skin during levofloxacin treatment.
  • This finding expands the spectrum of known photosensitivity reactions to fluoroquinolone antibiotics.
  • Awareness of this rare side effect may aid in timely diagnosis and management.

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