Pharmacology and Treatment

Minocycline-Induced Lupus
A Systematic Review
Raymond G. Schlienger^a,c, Andreas J. Bircher^b, Christoph R. Meier^a,d

Divisions of
^aClinical Pharmacology and
^bDermatology, University Hospital, Basel, and
^cInstitute of Pharmacotherapy, Department of Pharmacy, University of Basel, Switzerland;
^dBoston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program, Boston University, School of Medicine, Lexington, Mass., USA

Address of Corresponding Author

Dermatology 2000;200:223-231 (DOI: 10.1159/000018387)

  Key Words

• Minocycline
• Auto-immune diseases
• Drug-induced lupus

  Abstract

Background: Minocycline has increasingly been associated with different adverse auto-immune reactions including drug-induced lupus. Objective: To identify the scope of minocycline-induced lupus and to characterise its typical features. Methods: Comprehensive Medline and Embase search of the English and non-English literature for case reports of minocycline-induced lupus. Results: We included 57 cases of minocycline-induced lupus (mean age ± SD at onset: 21.6 ± 8.6 years, median time of exposure: 19 months, range 3 days to 6 years). All patients showed the clinical features of polyarthralgia/polyarthritis often accompanied by liver abnormalities. Twelve patients had evidence of dermatological manifestations (i.e rash, livedo reticularis, oral ulceration, subcutaneous nodules, alopecia). The ANA test was positive in all patients. Conclusion: Long-term exposure to minocycline may be associated with drug-induced lupus. Baseline and periodic liver function and ANA tests accompanied by appropriate clinical monitoring are suggested for patients receiving long-term minocycline therapy.

Copyright © 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dr. Raymond G. Schlienger
Basel Pharmacoepidemiology Unit
Division of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital
CH-4031 Basel (Switzerland)
Tel. +41 61 265 88 68, Fax +41 61 265 88 64, E-Mail rschlienger@uhbs.ch

  Article Information

Received: Received: January 6, 2000
Accepted: January 13, 2000
Number of Print Pages : 9
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 1, Number of References : 53