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Colchicine intoxication diagnosed in a skin biopsy: a case report
Author(s) -
Mason Stephen E.,
Smoller Bruce R.,
Wilkerson Anne E.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of cutaneous pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.597
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1600-0560
pISSN - 0303-6987
DOI - 10.1111/j.0303-6987.2006.00393.x
Subject(s) - colchicine , medicine , skin biopsy , rash , vacuolization , pathology , biopsy , dermatology , toxicity , trunk , biology , ecology
Colchicine toxicity is a rare, but well‐described clinical entity. The histopathologic findings in various organ systems have been delineated in colchicine intoxication; however, skin findings have only been described in rare cases. We present a case of colchicine toxicity diagnosed on skin biopsy in a patient presenting with mental status changes. Her cutaneous manifestation consisted of a diffuse, blanchable, violaceous, morbilliform rash involving the trunk and proximal extremities. The histopathologic findings included metaphase‐arrested keratinocytes with underlying basal vacuolization. These features, considered in the setting of multiorgan dysfunction and a known exposure of colchicine, led to the diagnosis.