GENERALIZED ECZEMATOUS SKIN RASH POSSIBLY DUE TO HMG-COA REDUCTASE INHIBITORS

We report on 3 patients who developed a generalized eczematous skin ra sh under treatment with simvastatin and pravastatin for hypercholester olemia. These drugs are 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA ) reductase inhibitors and suppress cholesterol synthesis in the liver . Based on experimental data from the literature that showed eczematou s changes in mice treated topically with the HMG-CoA reductase inhibit or lovastatin, we suspect that the rash observed in our patients may b e a consequence of skin barrier dysfunction following inhibition of ch olesterol biosynthesis.