Letter to the Editor August 15, 2007

Chlorpromazine-Induced Skin Pigmentation With Short-Term Use in a Patient With Bipolar Disorder: A Case Report

Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry 2007;9(4):316-317

Article Abstract

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Sir: Chlorpromazine is known, in rare instances, to induceskin pigmentation in areas exposed to sunlight.1 The prevalencein chronic, hospitalized patients is reported as 1.0% to 2.9%.2Some authors report chlorpromazine-induced skin pigmentationas irreversible,3 while some findings4 indicate that it is completelyreversible and that a variety of neuroleptics, includingother phenothiazines, are used to replace chlorpromazine withoutrisk of reemergence of pigmentation.4