Hydroxychloroquine in light eruption: new indication. Can be tried.

(1) Hydroxychloroquine sulphate is now approved for the prevention of light eruption. (2) The clinical file on benign summer light eruption is limited to a placebo-controlled trial showing that hydroxychloroquine does not reduce the frequency of eruptions after sunlight exposure. In contrast, it does seem to reduce the severity of these reactions, even though the effect is impossible to quantify. (3) The preventive efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in polymorphous light eruption has been demonstrated in a placebo-controlled trial showing a reduction in eruption but not in the accompanying pruritus. (4) Short treatment courses with hydroxychloroquine seem to be well tolerated. The danger of ocular lesions appears to be minimal.