Powerful acid suppressing drugs called proton pump inhibitors or PPIs may cause an autoimmune skin condition called subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus. This unpleasant blistering rash may be triggered by medications and sun exposure.
Danish researchers reviewed medical records and discovered a link between this condition and drugs such as lansoprazole, omeprazole, esomeprazole and pantoprazole. It often took several months for the reaction to appear, and the average time it took for the condition to clear up after the drug was discontinued was about three months. Some of the patients had multiple episodes, and some reacted to several different PPIs.
Although this side effect appears to be uncommon, the authors suggest that people with Sjogren’s syndrome and other autoimmune conditions may be especially susceptible and should perhaps not take PPIs.
