Dermatologische Klinik und Poliklinik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Federal Republic of Germany.
Several nonsteroid antiinflammatory drugs (e.g., benoxaprofen, carprofen, and piroxicam) are known to induce photosensitivity reactions, but this has not yet been documented for ibuprofen. We observed a photosensitivity reaction in a patient treated with an oral ibuprofen preparation. This patient had a lowered minimal erythema dose for UVA but not for UVB after oral administration of ibuprofen. Results of a photopatch test with the drug were negative. In vitro UVA irradiation of human erythrocytes in the presence of ibuprofen caused ultraviolet dose-dependent phototoxic hemolysis.