Response of dermatomyositis to the antimalarial quinacrine: A retrospective cohort study

Abstract

To the Editor: Quinacrine (QC) is an antimalarial taken with hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine to treat dermatomyositis (DM).1,2 QC is prescribed at a constant dosage (100 mg/d), is well tolerated, and does not require blood or vision monitoring, but it may be associated with reversible skin yellowing.2-4 In 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration placed the manufacturer of QC on import alert.5 This is concerning because the lack of QC may increase reliance on steroids or immunosuppressants. To characterize the importance of the effects of QC on DM disease activity and quality of life, we present a retrospective study from a prospectively collected database of patients with DM.