Psoriasiform Cutaneous Eruptions Induced by Cetamolol Hydrochloride

To the Editor.—  Psoriasiform eruptions of the skin are recognized as one of the adverse effects of practolol and other β-adrenergic blocking agents.^1-3 With practolol, the cutaneous syndromes have occurred in association with ocular lesions,³ sclerosing peritonitis,⁴ and systemic lupus erythematosus.⁵ Voorhees recently suggested that psoriasis may be precipitated or exacerbated in a third of patients with psoriasis treated with oral propranolol hydrochloride.⁶Cetamolol hydrochloride is a cardioselective β-blocking drug with intrinsic sympathomimetic activity that has been under clinical investigation in multicenter trials for hypertension and coronary artery disease since 1983. We describe herein a patient taking cetamolol who developed psoriasis that was resistant to phototherapy, but that cleared rapidly on discontinuing the drug. Rechallenge of this patient several months later with cetamolol resulted in a recurrence of the psoriatic lesions.

Report of a Case.—  A 60-year-old woman with a history of mild hypertension treated