Bleomycin-induced flagellate erythema

Abstract

A 56-year-old woman who developed widespread pruritus and flagellate erythema after attempted pleuredesis with bleomycin is described. The raised linear lesions of flagellate erythema could not be reproduced by scratching, and histopathological examination revealed a lymphocytic vasculitis. The rash faded spontaneously over several weeks to leave streaks of post-inflammatory melanoderma which remained for 6 months. The role of scratching and dermographism in the pathogenesis of the bleomycin-specific eruption is discussed.