[Nail pigmentation caused by azidothymidine]

Azidothymidine is a new antiviral drug that acts by competitive inhibition of reverse transcriptase of retroviruses. Azidothymidine is now widely used in treatment of patients with AIDS or ARC; the most important side effects of this drug are anaemia and neutropenia. Recently pigmentary changes of the nails (diffuse pigmentation and longitudinal or transverse bands) provoked by azidothymidine-treatment have also been reported. We describe a such case.