Erythema multiforme-like drug eruption with oral involvement after intake of leflunomide.

Leflunomide is an antirheumatic agent of the type of a 'disease-modifying antirheumatic drug'. In rare cases, severe skin reactions up to the extreme expression of toxic epidermal necrolysis have been observed. A female patient with rheumatoid arthritis had been treated with systemic steroids and methotrexate for 2 years.

High plasma levels of 8-methoxypsoralen following bath water delivery in dermatological patients.

With respect to the clinical advantages known for bath PUVA therapy, it was of interest to compare the plasma levels of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) in bath therapy with those after oral administration for a better insight into the pharmacokinetics of 8-MOP following different modes of application. Considerable high plasma levels of 8-MOP were observed after bath therapy with interindividual variability. The half-life of plasma 8-MOP was markedly shorter after bath PUVA than after oral application.

Diagnostic odyssey of a cutaneous mycobacteriosis rare in central Europe.

Cutaneous infection with Mycobacterium chelonae is an uncommon disease, although this atypical mycobacterium is an acid-fast bacillus ubiquitous in the environment. It is often misdiagnosed and treated as a fungal or common bacterial infection. We report a case of disseminated atypical mycobacterial skin infection of a 72-year-old woman who was treated with different topical and systemic antimycotic and antibiotic drugs over a period of 5 months without remarkable improvement.

Toxicity of methotrexate treatment in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis--short- and long-term toxicity in 104 patients.

Methotrexate (MTX) is an effective anti-psoriatic agent but there are major concerns about its long-term toxicity, in particular to the liver. Reported frequencies and recommendations for monitoring patients on MTX vary considerably. The aim of this study was to analyse the frequency and severity of MTX-associated adverse drug reactions (ADR) in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.