[Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) following intake of furosemide]

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is an acute pustular eruption with unique clinical features, a rapid clinical course and a typical histopathology. The causative agents are mostly drugs but other triggers have also been described.

A 52 year-old woman with a history of diabetes mellitus type II, dyslipidemia and osteomyelitis was treated for about a year with metformin (Glucophage) and simvastatin (Simovil) tablets. Due to the osteomyelitis, the patient was started on a regimen of intravenous vancomycin as well as furosemide tablets (Fusid) for pedal edema. About seventeen days after beginning treatment with vancomycin and a week after starting furosemide the patient was hospitalized due to an acute pruritic pustular eruption, involving most of her body surface area. Both vancomycin and furosemide treatment were discontinued, and topical treatment was provided. The clinical course was rapid with spontaneous resolution of the pustules followed by a characteristic pin-point post-pustular desquamation. The morphological, clinical and histological findings suggested a definite case of AGEP based on the EuroSCAR scoring system. The latent period between the initiation of medication intake and the appearance of AGEP, as well as a literature search, suggest that furosemide might be the incriminated drug.

We have described a rare case of typical AGEP most probably induced by furosemide.