Seborrheic dermatitis: Could be a rare side effect of nortriptyline?

Abstract

In Iran, although new antidepressants are available, nortriptyline is widely used because of being economical and accessible.

Physicians prescribe it for psychiatric disorders, especially in hospitalized or outpatients with depression.

Clinicians know its common side effects, for example anticholinergic effects, but such as other drugs it has rare adverse effects.

Here, we present a 27 years old woman with major depression disorder who has been treated with nortriptyline/75 mg/day. After a week she came back with seborrheic dermatitis, the diagnosis was confirmed by a dermatologist. Lesions disappear when she discontinued the drug. In her past psychiatric history we found similar lesions in previous depressive episode and using same drug 5 years ago Which are treated only after stop using nortriptylin. She has no lesions in episode intervals.

Although, uncommon skin effects such as uriticaria and angioedema had been reported but this is the first patient with confirmed seborrehic dermatitis.