Chloroquine-Quinacrine Association in Resistant Cutaneous Lupus

C. Frances, Service de médecine interne, Centre hospitalier et universitaire, Groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47–83, boulevard de l’Hôpital F-75651 Paris Cedex 13 (France) Feldmann et al. [1] have recently suggested that a chloroquinβquinacrine combination may be efficient for chloroquine or hydroxychloroquineresistant discoid lupus (DL) or subacute cutaneous lupus (SCL), erythematosus. In our experience, this combination was useful not only in these conditions but also in patients with refractory cutaneous lesions of quiescent systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). From March 1993 to June 1994, 15 patients with histologically confirmed refractory cutaneous lupus lesions were included in this study (table 1). There were 14 women and 1 man. The mean age was 39.5 years (range 25-58). Eight patients did not fulfill ARA criteria for SLE: 6 patients with chronic DL, 1 patient with SCL and 1 patient with DL and SCL. Seven patients had SLE according to ARA criteria. Extradermatological manifestations had been quiescent for more than 6 Table 1. Patient characteristics and treatment results Subsets Sex Age Duration of cutaneous SLE (≥ 4 ARA Previous treatments of lupus years lesions, years criteria) Results of chloroquine quinacrine association