Nifedipine: A New Treatment for Perniosis
June 1987
in “
British Journal of Dermatology
”
Studysummary In this study, nifedipine provided rapid symptomatic relief in most patients with severe recalcitrant perniosis, but some experienced side effects that limited dosage and two patients were lost to follow-up.
Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer
In a study from 1987, nifedipine, a medication commonly used for treating Raynaud's phenomenon, was investigated as a potential treatment for perniosis, a condition characterized by inflammatory skin lesions due to abnormal reactions to cold. The open study included 25 patients with severe recalcitrant perniosis, 22 of whom had idiopathic perniosis and 3 had anorexia nervosa. Patients were prescribed nifedipine retard 20 mg, with the dose increased by 20 mg every 3 days until a therapeutic dose was reached or side-effects occurred. Seventeen patients reported rapid symptomatic relief and lesion clearing after a mean of 14 days on a modal dose of 60 mg daily. Biopsies showed resolution of dermal edema and a decrease in perivascular cellular infiltrate. Six patients did not benefit, mainly due to side-effects at a lower dose of 30 mg daily, and two patients were lost to follow-up. The study concluded that there was no correlation between the cause of perniosis and the clinical or histological response to nifedipine treatment.
