Possible role of antibody specific for a practolol metabolite in the pathogenesis of oculomucocutaneous syndrome.

The clinical distribution of an antibody to a metabolite of practolol was investigated, particularly in relation to the oculomucocutaneous syndrome. Serum samples were obtained from patients with and without a history of adverse reaction to practolol and two groups of control patients who had never taken the drug. Five patients also participated in a challenge study. The presence of the antibody was found to be related to practolol administration, and antibody activity could be increased by antigenic challenge. The role of this antibody in the pathogenesis of the oculomucocutaneous syndrome remains uncertain. The lesions may be the result of a hitherto unknown type of hypersensitivity response to practolol.