Cutaneous reactions to drugs used for rheumatologic disorders

Cutaneous reactions to medications probably represent the most common manifestation of drug reactions. The diversity of cutaneous eruptions produced by drugs provide a challenge in searching for the mechanisms producing the reaction. Many eruptions are due to a form of allergic hypersensitivity, while others may be idiosyncratic, due to a metabolic abnormality, or represent a cumulative phenomenon. This article discusses the diagnosis of drug-induced cutaneous reactions by reviewing specific drugs commonly used in rheumatologic therapy.