Combination of the two antimalarials chloroquine and mepacrine for treatment-resistant cutaneous loons erythematosus

Antimalarials represent the first line in treatment of cutaneous lupus eryt hematosus (LE). However, some patients show no improvement on monotherapy w ith chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine. A 30-year-old female patient had tre atment-resistant cutaneous LE exhibiting features of both IE tumidus and su bacute cutaneous LE. Previously, the patient had been unsuccessfully treate d with chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, dapsone, and azathioprine, each in combination with variable doses of prednisolone. However, the IE lesions in creased during these therapeutic regimens. A combination of chloroquine and mepacrine therapy led to improvement and then total clearing after 4 month s of treatment.