BACKGROUND: Short-term mucocutaneous adverse effects are well documented with imatinib. However, studies on long-term adverse effects and in the ethnic population are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To study the long-term mucocutaneous adverse effects of imatinib and factors predicting these adverse effects. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, consenting adult chronic myeloid leukemia patients on imatinib for more than 250 days were recruited. The details of imatinib treatment were retrieved from hematology clinic records. RESULTS: Four hundred and thirty-eight patients who were on imatinib for a mean duration of 1820 days were recruited. A mean number of 1.42 ± 0.98 cutaneous adverse effects were seen per patient. Melasma-like pigmentation, periorbital edema, oral lichenoid reaction, cutaneous hypopigmentation, and vesicobullous eruptions were seen in 236 (53.9%), 81 (18.5%), 70 (16%), 42 (9.6%), and 12 (2.7%) patients, respectively. Drug-induced cutaneous eruptions (9.1%) and cutaneous hypopigmentation (9.6%) were seen less frequently. Cutaneous hyperpigmentation was more likely seen in younger patients (P = 0.001) and females (P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, female gender was a significant risk factor for developing cutaneous hyperpigmentation and periorbital edema. CONCLUSION: Cutaneous hyperpigmentation and periorbital edema are common long-term adverse effects of imatinib in Indian patients. Female gender is a significant risk factor for the development of both these adverse effects.
BACKGROUND: Short-term mucocutaneous adverse effects are well documented with imatinib. However, studies on long-term adverse effects and in the ethnic population are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To study the long-term mucocutaneous adverse effects of imatinib and factors predicting these adverse effects. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, consenting adult chronic myeloid leukemiapatients on imatinib for more than 250 days were recruited. The details of imatinib treatment were retrieved from hematology clinic records. RESULTS: Four hundred and thirty-eight patients who were on imatinib for a mean duration of 1820 days were recruited. A mean number of 1.42 ± 0.98 cutaneous adverse effects were seen per patient. Melasma-like pigmentation, periorbital edema, oral lichenoid reaction, cutaneous hypopigmentation, and vesicobullous eruptions were seen in 236 (53.9%), 81 (18.5%), 70 (16%), 42 (9.6%), and 12 (2.7%) patients, respectively. Drug-induced cutaneous eruptions (9.1%) and cutaneous hypopigmentation (9.6%) were seen less frequently. Cutaneous hyperpigmentation was more likely seen in younger patients (P = 0.001) and females (P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, female gender was a significant risk factor for developing cutaneous hyperpigmentation and periorbital edema. CONCLUSION:Cutaneous hyperpigmentation and periorbital edema are common long-term adverse effects of imatinib in Indian patients. Female gender is a significant risk factor for the development of both these adverse effects.