全部 标题 作者
关键词 摘要

OALib Journal期刊
ISSN: 2333-9721
费用:99美元

查看量下载量

相关文章

更多...

Levamisole-Contaminated Cocaine: An Emergent Cause of Vasculitis and Skin Necrosis

DOI: 10.1155/2014/434717

Full-Text   Cite this paper   Add to My Lib

Abstract:

The prevalence of cocaine adulterated with levamisole-induced vasculitis is increasing and physicians should be aware of this unique entity. There have been many reports of cutaneous vasculitis syndrome caused by cocaine which is contaminated with levamisole. Levamisole was used as an antihelminth drug and later was rescinded from use in humans due to adverse effects. Through this paper, we will report a 39-year-old crack cocaine user who presented with purpuric rash and skin necrosis of his ear lobes. Levamisole-induced vasculitis syndrome was suspected. A urine toxicology screen was positive for cocaine, opiates, and marijuana. Blood work revealed positive titres of ANA and p-ANCA, as well as anti-cardiolipin antibody. Biopsy taken from the left ear showed focal acute inflammation, chronic inflammation with thrombus formation, and extravasated blood cells. Treatment was primarily supportive with wound care. 1. Introduction Levamisole, which was first developed as an antihelminth agent in the 1960s [1], can result in toxicity from the use of adulterated cocaine. It is an increasing reported cause of agranulocytosis, vasculopathy, and skin manifestations like specific rash and skin necrosis [2]. In this report, we describe the case of a 39-year-old crack cocaine user who presents with this unique thrombotic vasculitis, purpuric lesions, and skin necrosis of the ear lobes related to levamisole toxicity. 2. Case Presentation A 39-year-old man with past medical history of cocaine abuse, gout, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and hand cellulitis secondary to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection presented with painful lesions on his right hand, left foot, and bilateral ears. Onset was three days prior to presentation where he started to have a constant burning sensation, most severely on the superior aspect of his ears. He had last smoked cracked cocaine one day prior to presentation and he was snorting it the day before. On admission, the patient was afebrile, with blood pressure of 125/83?mmHg and heart rate of 110 beats per minute. On examination, the blisters on the dorsum of the right hand were new, although there was still an open wound from hand cellulitis secondary to MRSA infection 4 years ago on the dorsum of the second metacarpophalangeal joint. There was also a dry, closed, and scaly lesion on the left foot, as well as black necrotic bilateral auricular lesions with 1-2?mm blisters noted on both ears (Figure 1). The tongue had a hard nonerythematous nodule on the center, tender to touch. The rest of the physical

References

[1]  W. K. P. Amery and J. P. J. M. Bruynseels, “Levamisole, the story and the lessons,” International Journal of Immunopharmacology, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 481–486, 1992.
[2]  A. Chang, J. Osterloh, and J. Thomas, “Levamisole: a dangerous new cocaine adulterant,” Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, vol. 88, no. 3, pp. 408–411, 2010.
[3]  K. R. Merikangas and V. L. McClair, “Epidemiology of substance use disorders,” Human Genetics, vol. 131, no. 6, pp. 779–789, 2012.
[4]  O. Metwally, M. Hamidi, L. Townsend, H. Abualula, A. Zaitoun, and T. Lall, “The cocaine trail: levamisole-induced leukocytoclastic vasculitis in a cocaine user,” Substance Abuse, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 75–77, 2013.
[5]  L. A. Runge, R. S. Pinals, S. H. Lourie, and R. H. Tomar, “Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with levamisole. A controlled trial,” Arthritis and Rheumatism, vol. 20, no. 8, pp. 1445–1448, 1977.
[6]  K. D. Christensen, “Treatment of seronegative spondylarthritis with levamisole: a double-blind placebo-controlled study,” International Journal of Immunopharmacology, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 147–150, 1979.
[7]  D. R. Czuchlewski, M. Brackney, C. Ewers et al., “Clinicopathologic features of agranulocytosis in the setting of levamisole-tainted cocaine,” American Journal of Clinical Pathology, vol. 133, no. 3, pp. 466–472, 2010.
[8]  “Agranulocytosis associated with cocaine use—four States, March 2008–November 2009,” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, vol. 58, no. 49, pp. 1381–1385, 2009.
[9]  M. L. Trehy, D. J. Brown, J. T. Woodruff et al., “Determination of levamisole in urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry,” Journal of Analytical Toxicology, vol. 35, no. 8, pp. 545–550, 2011.
[10]  R. L. Gross, J. Brucker, A. Bahce-Altuntas et al., “A novel cutaneous vasculitis syndrome induced by levamisole-contaminated cocaine,” Clinical Rheumatology, vol. 30, no. 10, pp. 1385–1392, 2011.
[11]  R. S. Jacob, C. Y. Silva, J. G. Powers et al., “Levamisole-induced vasculopathy: a report of 2 cases and a novel histopathologic finding,” American Journal of Dermatopathology, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 208–213, 2012.
[12]  S. Menni, G. Pistritto, R. Gianotti, L. Ghio, and A. Edefonti, “Ear lobe bilateral necrosis by levamisole-induced occlusive vasculitis in a pediatric patient,” Pediatric Dermatology, vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 477–479, 1997.
[13]  N. Y. Zhu, D. F. Legatt, and A. R. Turner, “Agranulocytosis after consumption of cocaine adulterated with levamisole,” Annals of Internal Medicine, vol. 150, no. 4, pp. 287–289, 2009.
[14]  J. A. Buchanan, R. J. Oyer, N. R. Patel et al., “A confirmed case of agranulocytosis after use of cocaine contaminated with levamisole,” Journal of Medical Toxicology, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 160–164, 2010.
[15]  F. Rongioletti, L. Ghio, F. Ginevri et al., “Purpura of the ears: a distinctive vasculopathy with circulating autoantibodies complicating long-term treatment with levamisole in children,” British Journal of Dermatology, vol. 140, no. 5, pp. 948–951, 1999.
[16]  S. Neynaber, N. Mistry-Burchardi, C. Rust et al., “PR3-ANCA-positive necrotizing multi-organ vasculitis following cocaine abuse,” Acta Dermato-Venereologica, vol. 88, no. 6, pp. 594–596, 2008.
[17]  G. A. Fritsma, J. B. Leikin, A. J. Maturen, C. J. Froelich, and D. O. Hryhorczuk, “Detection of anticardiolipin antibody in patients with cocaine abuse,” Journal of Emergency Medicine, vol. 9, supplement 1, pp. 37–43, 1991.
[18]  O. Wiesner, K. A. Russell, A. S. Lee et al., “Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies reacting with human neutrophil elastase as a diagnostic marker for cocaine-induced midline destructive lesions but not autoimmune vasculitis,” Arthritis and Rheumatism, vol. 50, no. 9, pp. 2954–2965, 2004.
[19]  E. Kouassi, G. Caille, and L. Lery, “Novel assay and pharmacokinetics of levamisole and p-hydroxylevamisole in human plasma and urine,” Biopharmaceutics and Drug Disposition, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 71–89, 1986.

Full-Text

Contact Us

service@oalib.com

QQ:3279437679

WhatsApp +8615387084133