Morphological changes in peripheral blood cells and skin in amiodarone-treated patients.

Amiodarone, used in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmia, may lead to severe discolouration of sun-exposed skin. The lysosomal storage of a lipid-like material has been shown to be the morphological substrate for this cutaneous hyperpigmentation. Examination of peripheral white blood cells of amiodarone-treated patients disclosed identical lysosomal structures indicating that amiodarone treatment leads to a more generalized lysosomal storage of lipids and of amiodarone and its metabolites.