Table 1.
Reports of photo-onycholysis associated with the use of doxycycline*
| Patient | Sex | Age (years) | Duration of treatment (weeks) | Sun exposure | Concomitant medication | Reported adverse drug reactions | Time to onset of onycholysis (days) | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M | 12 | 2 | Sunbathing (August), feet were protected | None | Photosensitivity reaction | 35 | Partly recovered after 1 month |
| Skin discolouration | ||||||||
| Onycholysis (all fingernails affected) | ||||||||
| 2 | F | 38 | 4 | Sunbathing (holiday in France in June), foot protection unknown | Citalopram, 20 mg once a day | Onycholysis (3 fingernails affected) | 3 | Partly recovered after 2 months |
| 3 | F | 38 | 2 | Sunbathing (sunny weather on holiday in August), toes unprotected | None | Onycholysis (all fingernails and 4 toenails affected) | 14 | Fully recovered after 5 months |
| 4 | F | 8 | 1 | Sun exposure (August), foot protection unknown | None | Onycholysis (all fingernails affected) | 25 | Partly recovered after 3 weeks |
| 5 | F | 58 | 2 | Sun exposure (holiday on a sailing boat in July), feet were protected | None | Abdominal discomfort | 21 | Partly recovered after 3 months |
| Photosensitivity reaction | ||||||||
| Onycholysis (all fingernails affected) |
*
All patients used 200 mg a day of doxycycline for the prophylaxis of Lyme disease after probable tick bite (erythema migrans was seen in patients 3 to 5).