All trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is the drug of choice in the treatment
of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Generally, it is well tolerated
but it has some side-effects, some of which may be fatal. The most se
vere side-effect of ATRA is ATRA syndrome; the other side-effects are
rather dermatologic. Among these vasculitis has not been reported so f
ar. We detected fever and skin lesions in two patients treated with AT
RA where histopathologic examination revealed necrotizing vasculitis.
With cessation of ATRA. and corticosteroid administration, the lesions
healed and fever quickly disappeared. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.
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