Five cases of photocontact dermatitis due to topical ketoprofen: photopatch testing and cross-reaction study.

BACKGROUND

In parallel with the popular usage of topical ketoprofen, the number of reported cases of ketoprofen-induced photoallergic contact dermatitis has been increasing. It is clinically important to know the cross-reactivity of ketoprofen in order to avoid cross-sensitization caused by several structurally similar non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) on the market.

METHODS

To evaluate the spectrum of cross sensitization, photopatch testing was performed on five patients with ketoprofen-induced photoallergic contact dermatitis using ketoprofen and other structurally similar chemicals, such as oxybenzone, tiaprofenic acid and suprofen.

RESULTS

All five patients reacted positively to ketoprofen or ketoprofen plaster on photopatch testing. All four patients photopatch tested with related chemicals showed cross-photosensitization with tiaprofenic acid and suprofen. However, none of the patients reacted positively to oxybenzone.

CONCLUSION

Either the diphenylketone moiety or a structurally similar tiophene-phenylketone moiety is important as the antigenic determinants of ketoprofen photoallergy. The arylpropionic acid side chain would not be involved.