OMEPRAZOLE-INDUCED EXFOLIATIVE DERMATITIS

A drl-year-old man being treated for severe esophageal reflux disease developed red, exfoliative scaling on his back, trunk, and legs after taking omeprazole 20 mg twice/day for 3 months. He also had redness an d extreme sloughing of the skin on his hands. Even after he discontinu ed omeprazole and after several courses of topical and systemic steroi ds, symptoms continued to occur 18 months after treatment, mostly loca lized to the hands. Exfoliative dermatitis is associated with many dru gs, but omeprazole has been implicated only once before in the literat ure.