Hydroxyurea in the treatment of pustular psoriasis.

SUMMARY.— Four patients with generalized pustular psoriasis of von Zumbusch were treated with hydroxyurea in an oral dosage of 1–2 g daily. In each instance the pustular, the febrile, the leucocytic and toxic responses were significantly suppressed. It is suggested that the effectiveness of this new treatment reflects the known selective suppressant effect of hydroxyurea on the polymorphonuclear leucocytes, which apparently play a central role in this disease.