Clinical analysis of 11 patients with phytophotodermatitis caused by ingesting Chenopodium album / 中华皮肤科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate clinical characteristics and treatment of phytophotodermatitis due to ingesting Chenopodium album.Methods This study included 11 patients with phytophotodermatitis caused by ingesting Chenopodium album collected from Department of Dermatology,Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University from 2013 to 2017.The patients' general information,clinical manifestations,laboratory test results,treatment and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed.Results All the 11 patients were female,and their age ranged from 45 to 62 years.They all had a history of ingesting Chenopodium album and exposing to sunlight within 1-2 days prior to the disease onset.Clinical manifestations included symmetrically distributed,painful and pruritic,nonpitting,swelling erythema on the face and back of both hands and at sunexposed sites of forearms,with a tense and bright surface.Increased white blood cell counts were observed in 6 patients,and increased eosinophil counts in 1.All of the 11 patients were treated with systemic methylprednisolone,loratadine,ebastine,spironolactone,furosemide and omeprazole as well as topical agents,2 also received human immunoglobulin treatment,and 3 were also treated with oral ibuprofen and codeine for painful lesions.Ten patients received obvious improvement and were discharged after 7-10 days of treatment,and no pigmentation or scars were observed after 1-year follow-up.Skin necrosis occurred on the back of both hands in 1 patient after 7-day treatment,and scars remained in the patient after follow-up of half a year.Conclusions Chenopodium album-induced phytophotodermatitis commonly manifests as swelling erythema on the exposed body sites.After confirmed diagnosis,Chenopodium album ingestation and sunlight exposure should be avoided,and timely antianaphylactic treatment should be considered to effectively control the disease.