Introduction: Drugs are at the origin of around 10% of the cases of vasculitis involving the small vessels. Recent cases report vasculitis related to the administration of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory selective inhibitors of cyclo-oxygenase 2.
Case: Vasculitis associated with ketoprofen appeared in a 76 year-old man: the symptoms disappeared when treatment stopped. A few weeks later, during treatment with rofecoxib, a relapse appeared, including purpura. The diagnosis of rofecoxib-induced cutaneous vasculitis was confirmed by regression of all symptoms when treatment stopped.
Discussion: Coxibs, like other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, may cause vasculitis, at an as-yet undetermined frequency.