Acute generalized exanthematic pustulosis: a case and an overview of side effects affecting the skin caused by celecoxib and other COX-2 inhibitors reported so far.

A 55-year-old woman who was treated for periarthritis humeroscapularis with celecoxib (Celebrex) developed a generalized pustular exanthema on the head and upper trunk, accompanied by fever, leukocytosis and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The histological findings were subcorneal pustules, necrotic keratinocytes, edema in the upper dermis and polymorphic perivascular infiltrates. Four days after stopping celecoxib, the pustules disappeared without any treatment. Four weeks after disappearance of the skin lesions, celecoxib demonstrated a positive lymphocyte stimulation test. In this article, we present to our knowledge the first case of acute generalized exanthematic pustulosis caused by celecoxib, and we give an overview of the side effects affecting the skin caused by celecoxib and other cyclooxygenase type 2 inhibitors reported so far. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel