PHOTOALLERGY AND PHOTOAGGRAVATION INDUCED BY FENOFIBRATE - CROSS-PHOTOREACTION AND TRANSIENT LIGHT REACTION

We report 2 new cases of photoallergy to fenofibrate presenting 3 part icular aspects. For the first case (pure photoallergy to UVA and UVB), there was a vitiligo-like depigmentation of lesions with the disappea rance of melanocytes at the ultrastructural level as well as ketoprofe n and bezafibrate cross-photoreaction. The common benzoyl-ketone struc ture found in both fenofibrate and ketoprofen molecules could be the c ause of this cross-photoreaction. For the second case (photoaggravated allergy with UVB), there was a tendency towards a transient light rea ction with a persistant photopatch test positivity to fenofibrate for several months. Clinical resolution was seen about 15 days after negat ive results to the fenofibrate photopatch test were obtained. This cli nical observation confirms the physiopathological hypothesis of the tr ansient light reaction: the persistence of the initial photoallergen i n the skin.