Photosensitivity induced by piroxicam.

A woman with rheumatoid arthritis developed an erythematous-bullous eruption on light-irradiated areas following sun exposure. Treatment with piroxicam, had been initiated 14 days earlier. The clinical picture, the relationship in time to the drug administration and a positive photopatch test gave reason to suspect piroxicam-induced photosensibility. Piroxicam (Felden) is a new non-steroid anti-inflammatory agent which was registered in Sweden in 1981. Various adverse skin reactions have been described. Thus, there has been one case of Lyell's syndrome with a fatal outcome (7), two case reports of erythema multiforme-like reactions (1, 3) and two reports of patients with erythemato-papulous and also bullous eruptions restricted to light-exposed skin areas (3).