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Leg ulcer in a patient associated with hydroxyurea therapy
Author(s) -
Dissemond Joachim,
Hoeft Daniela,
Knab Julia,
Franckson Tom,
Kroger Knut,
Goos Manfred
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2004.02450.x
Subject(s) - medicine , leg ulcer , medline , dermatology , surgery , political science , law
Hydroxyurea is a hydroxylated derivate of urea commonly used in the treatment of various hematologic disorders. Cutaneous side‐effects such as alopecia, diffuse hyperpigmentation, scaling, poikiloderma, atrophy of the skin and subcutaneous tissues or nail changes can develop after long‐term treatment with hydroxyurea. Painful leg ulcers in association with hydroxyurea have only rarely been reported. We present a report of a 52‐year‐old patient with essential thrombocythemia suffering from painful leg ulcers 3 years after starting therapy with hydroxyurea. We decided to treat the leg ulcers following a modern phase‐adapted wound‐healing strategy and continued hydroxyurea therapy until complete healing of the ulcers. In conclusion, cutaneous ulceration of the leg is one adverse effect in patients with essential thrombocythemia during hydroxyurea therapy. Healing does not necessarily require discontinuation of the drug. Therefore, therapists should first optimize a conservative and systematic wound‐healing strategy. If these interventions fail, discontinuation of hydroxyurea therapy is advisable.