Cutaneous pigmentation secondary to amiodarone therapy

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1983 · Arch. Dermatol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1001/archderm.1983.01650350042012· OSTI ID:5024446

Trimble, J W; Mendelson, D S; Fetter, B F; Ingram, P; Gallagher, J J; Shelburne, J D

Amiodarone (Cordarone) is an iodinated cardiac antiarrhythmic drug that causes a slate-gray discoloration of the sun-exposed skin and a yellow-brown stippling of the cornea. Histopathologically, biopsy specimens of aminodarone pigmentation sites disclose yellow-brown refractile granules in the reticular dermis. These granules were characterized by transmission electron microscopy as being concentrically arranged intralysosomal inclusions (''myelinlike'' bodies) in dermal endothelial cells and perivascular smooth-muscle cells. Electron probe x-ray analysis of these same inclusions disclosed definite peaks for iodine, evidence for the presence of amiodarone or a metabolite of the drug at these sites. Amiodarone, then, concentrates in lysosomes and causes an accumulation of lipids similar to what has been seen with other cationic amphiphilic compounds, such as the glycosphingolipid stored in Fabry's disease. Amiodarone must be recognized as a cause of a drug-induced lipid storage disease with cutaneous and corneal manifestations.

• Research Organization: Duke Univ., Durham, NC
• OSTI ID: 5024446
• Journal Information: Arch. Dermatol.; (United States), Vol. 119:11
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CARDIOVASCULAR AGENTS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
METABOLITES
SIDE EFFECTS
LIPIDS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
LYSOSOMES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY EMISSION ANALYSIS
CORNEA
ELECTRON PROBES
GLYCOLIPIDS
PIGMENTS
SKIN
BODY
BODY AREAS
CARBOHYDRATES
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DRUGS
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
EYES
FACE
HEAD
MICROSCOPY
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANOIDS
ORGANS
PROBES
SACCHARIDES
SENSE ORGANS
550500* - Metabolism
550900 - Pathology