[Pseudolupus induced by a vasculotropic drug (author's transl)]

The authors report eight cases of women suffering from pseudolupus erythematosus, with positive antimitochondrial antibodies. In six in the past history, a vasculotropic drug, Venocuran or Venopyridum, had been taken. All the patients had had episodes of fever, a pericarditis and/or myocarditis. A pleural effusion was present in six and pulmonary infiltrates in four. The course of the disease was for a limited period (1 to 3 months) in four cases and was chronic in the other four. One patient developed severe mitral incompetence and a cardiomyopathy.