Quantifying the Reversibility of Clofazimine-induced Pigmentation in a Patient with Mycobacterium abscessus Pulmonary Disease

A 45-year-old woman with Mycobacterium abscessus pulmonary disease was treated with multidrug therapy, including clofazimine, at Fukujuji Hospital. Six months after clofazimine initiation, the treatment was discontinued at the patient's request due to hyperpigmentation. Pigmentation is a critical side effect of clofazimine. We quantified clofazimine-induced pigmentation on her face using NeoVoirI^® and measured the serum concentration of clofazimine during the administration period. The patient's skin tone score closely correlated with the serum concentration of clofazimine. However, 14 months after the discontinuation of clofazimine, clofazimine-induced pigmentation was still not completely resolved.