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Photodermatoses induced by oral contraceptives

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Summary

The pathogenetic role of liver damage in photodermatoses induced by oral contraceptives was investigated. From among 121 cases with photodermatosis, it was in 4 cases of polymorphic light eruption-like dermatosis and in 2 cases of porphyria cutanea tarda that a longterm use of antibaby pills preceded the development of skin disease. Physical and biochemical studies of the liver of the patients suggested that the hepatotoxicity of the estrogen component of oral contraceptives can play a role not only in the pathomechanism of porphyric cases, but also in that of cases occurring with the clinical picture of polymorphic light eruption.

Zusammenfassung

Die pathogenetische Rolle der Leberschädigung wurde in Fällen von durch orale Kontrazeptiva induzierten Lichtdermatosen untersucht.

In einem Krankengut von 121 Lichtdermatosen ging eine langfristige Einnahme der oralen Kontrazeptiva der Manifestation der Hautkrankheit in 4 Fällen von chronisch-polymorphen Lichtausschlägen und in 2 Fällen von Porphyria cutanea tarda voraus. Die Ergebnisse der biochemischen Untersuchungen der Leberfunktion wiesen darauf hin, daß die Hepatotoxicität der Oestrogenkomponente der oralen Kontrazeptiva nicht nur im Pathomechanismus der Porphyria cutanea tarda, sondern auch im Pathomechanismus von denen, die im klinischen Bilde der chronisch-polymorphen Lichtausschläge erscheinen, eine Rolle spielen kann.

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Horkay, I., Tamási, P., Prékopa, A. et al. Photodermatoses induced by oral contraceptives. Arch. Derm. Res. 253, 53–61 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00557980

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