Treatment of disseminated granuloma annulare with allopurinol: case report

Dermatol Ther. 2010 Jan-Feb:23 Suppl 1:S24-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1529-8019.2009.01283.x.

Abstract

Granuloma annulare (GA) is a rare disease characterized by granulomatous inflammation of the dermis. A variant form of the disease, disseminated granuloma annulare (DGA), can be observed in about 15% of affected patients. Localized GA is likely to resolve spontaneously within months or a few years, whereas DGA can persist for decades. Various therapies have been suggested in these cases, but none of them has been demonstrated to be consistently efficacious. Allopurinol has been successfully used in granulomatous diseases such as sarcoidosis or reactions to polymethylmethacrylate spheres; therefore, we decided to evaluate the possible efficacy of this drug in three patients with long-lasting, therapy-resistant DGA.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / therapeutic use
  • Aged
  • Allopurinol / therapeutic use*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Granuloma Annulare / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • PUVA Therapy
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Xanthine Oxidase / antagonists & inhibitors*

Substances

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Allopurinol
  • Xanthine Oxidase