Cocaine-levamisole vasculitis, with cutaneous, joint and gastrointestinal manifestations
Case report
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22517/25395203.24982Keywords:
substance-related disorders, vasculitis, cocaine, levamisolAbstract
Levamisole is an antiparasitic agent for veterinary use that is currently being used to increase the volume and potency of cocaine and thus obtain more profits in its commercialization. The mixture of these two substances can cause in the organism the cocaine-levamisole syndrome, which is characterized by cocaine-like lesions such as the involvement of the septal cartilage and perforation of the nasal septum, cutaneous vasculitis of small vessels as well as a specific vasculitic involvement. of auricular pavilions and nasal cartilage that can progress to necrosis and even ulceration associated with agranulocytosis, arthralgias and rarely glomerulonephritis. In this case, a vasculitis syndrome associated with cocaine-levamisole is described, with mainly cutaneous and joint manifestations, as well as gastrointestinal. The patient presented an adequate response with steroids, but before recurrence required additional management with cyclophosphamide for total control of symptoms.
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References
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