Prevalence of DRESS syndrome

DRESS syndrome (Drug rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms) is an idiosyncratic reaction (type B), characterized by peripheral eosinophilia and systemic symptoms, such as fever, rash, lymphadenopathy, hepatitis, atypical lymphocytes and elevation of liver enzymes at least twice its normal level or increase of alanine amino transferase (ALT) >100 U/L. Its incidence is of 1/1,000 to 10,000 exposures and its mortality is of 10%-20%. Treatment is based on steroids and on the suspension of the suspect drug. This paper reports the cases of six patients with DRESS syndrome attended at Centro Medico Nacional Siglo XXI, Mexico City, from September 2012 to September 2013, which accounted for 12.5% of patients attended with adverse reactions to drugs.