CASE REPORT - Desensitization to Plaquenil - experience of 4 patients

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Case Report

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Desensitization to Hydroxychloroquine - Experience of 4 Patients

MICHAL MATES, SHOSHANA ZEVIN, GABRIEL S. BREUER, PNINA NAVON, and GIDEON

NESHER

ABSTRACT.

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is an antimalarial agent with immunomodulatory

effects. It is widely used in rheumatologic diseases, and has a very high

efficacy/toxicity ratio. It is particularly important in the treatment of

systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) since it reduces new organ involvement

and disease flares, and relieves skin and joint symptoms. Some patients

develop hypersensitivity rash in response to HCQ. In such patients the drug

is withdrawn and replaced by another medication. All the alternative

medications for rheumatological patients are significantly more toxic than

HCQ. We describe our initial experience of HCQ slow oral desensitization.

All 4 patients who were recruited completed the procedure successfully

without significant difficulty. Our results suggest that HCQ slow oral

desensitization is safe, effective, and easy to perform. (First Release Feb

1, 2006; J Rheumatol 2006;33:814-6)

http://www.jrheum.com/abstracts/abstracts06/814.html

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Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org