Fixed drug eruption induced by atenolol

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Fixed drug eruption (FDE) presents as recurrent, well-defined lesions at consistent sites upon re-exposure to an offending drug.
• Drug-induced skin reactions, including FDE, necessitate accurate etiological diagnosis for patient management.
• Beta-blockers are infrequently implicated in causing FDE.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a rare case of multiple fixed drug eruptions.
• To identify atenolol as the causative agent in a patient presenting with FDE.
• To confirm the diagnosis of atenolol-induced FDE using a patch test.

Main Methods:

• Clinical observation of recurrent skin lesions.
• Patient history detailing drug intake and lesion recurrence.
• Dermal patch testing with atenolol on previously affected skin sites.

Main Results:

• The patient developed multiple, well-demarcated lesions at the same body locations upon repeated atenolol administration.
• Patch testing with atenolol yielded a positive reaction at previously affected sites, confirming the drug's role.
• This represents the first reported instance of atenolol-induced FDE confirmed by patch testing.

Conclusions:

• Atenolol can induce fixed drug eruptions.
• Patch testing is a valuable diagnostic tool for confirming drug-induced fixed eruptions.
• This case expands the known spectrum of beta-blocker-induced fixed drug eruptions.