Tocilizumab-Induced Erythema Annulare Centrifugum

We report the case of a 42-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing treatment with subcutaneous tocilizumab for the past 6 months. Three days after the administration, an asymptomatic inflammatory annular plaque of 4 cm with discrete whitish scales at the inner border margin developed at the injection site in the left iliac fossa. A smaller plaque in the left groin appeared soon after. The mycological exam was negative. Histology showed a lymphoplasmacytic superficial and deep perivascular, and periadnexal, dermal infiltrate, without epidermal changes. Lesions spontaneously regressed in 4 months. The diagnosis was clinically and histologically consistent with erythema annulare centrifugum, following the exclusion of other differential diagnoses. Erythema annulare centrifugum represents a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction generally considered idiopathic or otherwise related to numerous triggers, including drugs such as biologics. We describe the first reported case of tocilizumab-induced erythema annulare centrifugum. This case should alert dermatologists to this relatively rare and complex entity and should raise awareness to cutaneous biologic drug reactions.

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Tocilizumab-Induced Erythema Annulare Centrifugum ; volume:14 ; number:3 ; year:2022 ; pages:302-306 ; extent:5 ; Case reports in dermatology ; 14, Heft 3 (2022), 302-306 (gesamt 5)

Contributors, Places and Time

• Creator: João, Ana Luísa ; Pessoa e Costa, Tomás ; Barreto, Paulo ; Lencastre, André

Further information

• DOI: 10.1159/000526938
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2023010423363982470666
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 15.08.2025, 7:22 AM CEST