Pseudolupus induced by a vasculotropic drug

The authors report 8 cases of women suffering from pseudo lupus erythematosus, with positive antimitochondrial antibodies. In 6 in the past history, a vasculotropic drug, Venocuran or Venopyridum, had been taken. All the patients had had episodes of fever, a pericarditis and/or myocarditis. A pleural effusion was present in 6 and pulmonary infiltrations in 4. The course of the disease was for a limited period (1 to 3 mth) in 4 cases and was chronic in the other 4. One patient developed severe mitral incompetence and a cardiomyopathy.