Cutaneomucous Side Effects Of Hydroxyurea: Prospective Study On 27 Patients

The cutaneous toxicity of hydroxyurea is known, but we aim to specify their incidence, characteristics and promoting factors in a prospective study. Between 2000 and 2003, 27 patients treated with hydroxyurea for myeloproliferative syndromes were sent to the dermatologic consultation by the haematologists to search for and prevent cutaneous and mucous complications of this treatment. The mean period of treatment was 68 months, with a mean posology of 1,075 g and a mean cumulative dose of 1939.6g. Eighty nine per cent of patients present cutaneous or mucous side effects: cutaneous xerosis (55 %), actinic keratosis (52 %), pruritus (33 %), onychodystrophia (30 %), cutaneous pigmentation (26 %) and nail pigmentation (18 %), palmar and plantar keratodermia (26 %), cutaneous ulceration (22 %), pseudo-dermatomyositis (22 %), alopecia (18 %) and aphtae (11 %). Side effects were observed from a cumulative dose of 2 kg. Photoprotection had a preventive effect on cutaneous pigmentation, actinic keratosis and cutaneous carcinomas and must be strongly recommended as soon as treatment is prescribed.