Quinidine-induced lupus erythematosus-like syndrome: three case reports and a review of the literature.

Three patients with an LE-like syndrome secondary to quinidine are described. Twenty-two similar cases are reviewed. The clinical picture is characterized mainly by polyarthritis, pleuritis, fever and dermatitis. The common laboratory findings are positive antinuclear antibodies, absence of anti-DNA antibodies, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia and abnormal liver function tests. This LE-like syndrome may appear within days or up to several years after the start of quinidine treatment and disappears completely a few weeks after discontinuation of the drug.