Patch testing and sensitization to multiple drugs
Jussi Liippo1, Kati Pummi, Ulla Hohenthal
1Department of Dermatology, Turku University Hospital, 20521, Turku, Finland.
Background:
Adverse drug reactions pose an increasing diagnostic challenge in hospitals and in outpatient clinics. When consecutive or repeated allergic drug eruptions are suspected, patch testing is a useful diagnostic tool for determining the causative drugs.
Objectives:
The aim of the study was to identify patient cases with multiple delayed-type drug sensitizations by using patch testing.
Methods:
Eight hundred and eleven patients with suspected drug allergy were patch tested during a 9-year period.
Results:
Multiple delayed drug sensitizations were found in 12% of those patients with positive results in drug patch testing.
Conclusions:
Drug patch testing is useful in cutaneous adverse drug reactions where multiple drugs are suspected. Multiple drug sensitizations can be found in a proportion of patients who have delayed drug allergies. In addition to drug reactions with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms, these patients may have repeated exanthemas or contact dermatitis.
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