5-Aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy and isotretinoin for treatment of drug-induced acne fulminans in a patient with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther. 2020 Mar:29:101630. doi: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2019.101630. Epub 2019 Dec 20.

Abstract

In this work, we present a case of deteriorative acne that occurred during methylprednisolone and danazol treatment of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Treatment of the patient with a combination of 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) and isotretinoin was satisfactory, though the patient had platelets as low as 4-10 × 109/L during treatment. We consider that the combination of oral isotretinoin and ALA-PDT was effective in this patient may be due to the synergetic effect of these treatments. To the best of our knowledge, no such cases have been reported.

Keywords: 5-Aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT); Drug-induced acne fulminans; Isotretinoin.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acne Vulgaris / chemically induced
  • Acne Vulgaris / drug therapy*
  • Administration, Oral
  • Adult
  • Aminolevulinic Acid / therapeutic use*
  • Danazol / adverse effects
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Estrogen Antagonists / adverse effects
  • Glucocorticoids / adverse effects
  • Humans
  • Isotretinoin / administration & dosage
  • Isotretinoin / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Methylprednisolone / adverse effects
  • Photochemotherapy / methods*
  • Photosensitizing Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / drug therapy*

Substances

  • Estrogen Antagonists
  • Glucocorticoids
  • Photosensitizing Agents
  • Aminolevulinic Acid
  • Isotretinoin
  • Danazol
  • Methylprednisolone