Warfarin induced leukocytoclastic vasculitis: an extraordinary side effect. 2020

Dina Elantably, and Ahmed Mourad, and Ahmed Elantably, and Mohamed Effat
Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University Kasr Alainy, Cairo, Egypt. dina.antably@gmail.com.

Warfarin is one of the most commonly used anticoagulants in the management of thromboembolic events. Herein we report a rare case of warfarin induced leukocytoclastic vasculitis in a patient with history of rheumatic heart disease and a mechanical mitral valve prosthesis who presented with heart failure and palpable purpura. Upon clinical suspicion of cutaneous small vessel vasculitis, a comprehensive laboratory panel was performed. Warfarin induced vasculitis was suspected when withdrawal of warfarin, due to rising INR, led to improvement of the skin lesions. The diagnosis was finally confirmed when re-instatement of warfarin reproduced the skin lesions and a skin biopsy showed evidence for leukocytoclastic vasculitis with eosinophilic infiltration. A third of cases of leukocytoclastic vasculitis are due to drug hypersensitivity which being a diagnosis of exclusion with varying manifestations, requires a high index of clinical suspicion. Since drug induced leukocytoclastic vasculitis may affect multiple organ systems and even cause mortality, clinicians must be aware of this rare adverse event, promptly discontinue the drug, and commence anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive treatment when necessary.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D003875 Drug Eruptions Adverse cutaneous reactions caused by ingestion, parenteral use, or local application of a drug. These may assume various morphologic patterns and produce various types of lesions. Dermatitis Medicamentosa,Dermatitis, Adverse Drug Reaction,Maculopapular Drug Eruption,Maculopapular Exanthem,Morbilliform Drug Reaction,Morbilliform Exanthem,Drug Eruption,Drug Eruption, Maculopapular,Drug Eruptions, Maculopapular,Drug Reaction, Morbilliform,Drug Reactions, Morbilliform,Eruption, Drug,Eruption, Maculopapular Drug,Eruptions, Drug,Eruptions, Maculopapular Drug,Exanthem, Maculopapular,Exanthem, Morbilliform,Exanthems, Maculopapular,Exanthems, Morbilliform,Maculopapular Drug Eruptions,Maculopapular Exanthems,Morbilliform Drug Reactions,Morbilliform Exanthems,Reaction, Morbilliform Drug,Reactions, Morbilliform Drug
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D012214 Rheumatic Heart Disease Cardiac manifestation of systemic rheumatological conditions, such as RHEUMATIC FEVER. Rheumatic heart disease can involve any part the heart, most often the HEART VALVES and the ENDOCARDIUM. Bouillaud Disease,Bouillaud's Disease,Bouillauds Disease,Disease, Bouillaud,Disease, Bouillaud's,Disease, Rheumatic Heart,Diseases, Rheumatic Heart,Heart Disease, Rheumatic,Heart Diseases, Rheumatic,Rheumatic Heart Diseases
D012867 Skin The outer covering of the body that protects it from the environment. It is composed of the DERMIS and the EPIDERMIS.
D014859 Warfarin An anticoagulant that acts by inhibiting the synthesis of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors. Warfarin is indicated for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of venous thrombosis and its extension, pulmonary embolism, and atrial fibrillation with embolization. It is also used as an adjunct in the prophylaxis of systemic embolism after myocardial infarction. Warfarin is also used as a rodenticide. 4-Hydroxy-3-(3-oxo-1-phenylbutyl)-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one,Aldocumar,Apo-Warfarin,Coumadin,Coumadine,Gen-Warfarin,Marevan,Tedicumar,Warfant,Warfarin Potassium,Warfarin Sodium,Potassium, Warfarin,Sodium, Warfarin
D018366 Vasculitis, Leukocytoclastic, Cutaneous Disorder characterized by a vasculitic syndrome associated with exposure to an antigen such as a drug, infectious agent, or other foreign or endogenous substance. Its pathophysiology includes immune complex deposition and a wide range of skin lesions. Hypersensitivity or allergy is present in some but not all cases. Angiitis, Hypersensitivity,Cutaneous Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis,Hypersensitivity Angiitis,Hypersensitivity Vasculitis,Vasculitis, Hypersensitivity,Allergic Cutaneous Angiitis,Allergic Cutaneous Vasculitis,Angiitis, Allergic Cutaneous,Cutaneous Allergic Vasculitis,Cutaneous Leukocytoclastic Angiitis,Vasculitis, Allergic Cutaneous,Allergic Cutaneous Angiitides,Allergic Cutaneous Vasculitides,Allergic Vasculitides, Cutaneous,Allergic Vasculitis, Cutaneous,Angiitides, Allergic Cutaneous,Angiitides, Cutaneous Leukocytoclastic,Angiitides, Hypersensitivity,Angiitis, Cutaneous Leukocytoclastic,Cutaneous Allergic Vasculitides,Cutaneous Angiitides, Allergic,Cutaneous Angiitis, Allergic,Cutaneous Leukocytoclastic Angiitides,Cutaneous Leukocytoclastic Vasculitides,Cutaneous Vasculitides, Allergic,Cutaneous Vasculitis, Allergic,Hypersensitivity Angiitides,Hypersensitivity Vasculitides,Leukocytoclastic Angiitides, Cutaneous,Leukocytoclastic Angiitis, Cutaneous,Leukocytoclastic Vasculitides, Cutaneous,Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis, Cutaneous,Vasculitides, Allergic Cutaneous,Vasculitides, Cutaneous Allergic,Vasculitides, Cutaneous Leukocytoclastic,Vasculitides, Hypersensitivity,Vasculitis, Cutaneous Allergic,Vasculitis, Cutaneous Leukocytoclastic

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