Acitretin induced lung injury by differentiation syndrome

Sarah Khan; Achuta Kumar Guddati; Creticus Marak

doi:10.1016/j.rmcr.2020.101138

Acitretin induced lung injury by differentiation syndrome

Respir Med Case Rep. 2020 Jun 23:31:101138. doi: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2020.101138. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Sarah Khan¹, Achuta Kumar Guddati², Creticus Marak³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine, Northeastern Health System, Tahlequah, OK, USA.
² Division of Hematology/Oncology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States.
³ Department of Rural Medicine - Pulmonary and Critical Care, Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Tahlequah, OK, USA.

Abstract

Differentiation syndrome is a life-threatening complication observed when retinoic acid is given to patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Retinoid compounds are also used in non-malignant conditions like psoriasis and it is rare to see differentiation syndrome in such settings. This reports details the clinical presentation and successful management of a patient with psoriasis who developed differentiation syndrome while on treatment with acitretin. The patient was managed with steroids and the differentiation syndrome abated with eventual complete resolution. This report exemplifies the need to consider differentiation syndrome in patients who have non-malignant conditions and are being managed with retoinds.

Keywords: Acitretin; Differentiation syndrome; Respiratory distress; Retinoids.

Publication types

Case Reports