Drug-induced severe cutaneous adverse reactions: Determine the cause and prevention

Approximately 45% of all adverse drug reactions are manifested in the skin. Although most are mild, severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs) are potentially lethal.

To review the etiology and clinical manifestations of severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs) and the demographic characteristics of patients with SCARs.

This study is a retrospective review of electronic medical records for patients who developed drug-induced cutaneous reactions and were treated for initial or ongoing care at a university medical center from June 4, 2008, to August 10, 2018. Search terms included Stevens-Johnson syndrome(SJS) , drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms(DRESS), acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis(AGEP), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and TEN/SJS overlap.

Of 596 cases of drug-induced rash, 35 cases (5.9%) of SCARs were encountered (male-to-female ratio, 1.06:1.0; mean age, 48.5 years). Of those 35 cases, 32 were in white patients (91.4%). The most common manifestations were DRESS (19 [54.3%]), SJS (8 [22.8%]), AGEP (6 [17.1%]), TEN (1 [2.9%]), and overlap (1 [2.9%]). Multiple causative drugs were implicated in 14 cases, whereas a single drug was responsible in 21 cases. The most common drugs implicated were antibiotics (88.1%). The most common causative antibiotics were cephalosporins (23.7%). Most of the patients with SCARs were given triamcinolone cream and prednisone alone (18 [51.4%]), methylprednisolone alone (1 [2.9%]), methylprednisolone and prednisone combined (4 [11.4%]), methylprednisolone and prednisolone (1 [2.9%]) or prednisone and prednisolone (1 [2.9%]).

The most common SCARs were, in order, DRESS, SJS, AGEP, TEN, and overlap. The most common causative drugs were, in order, cephalosporins, penicillins, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and fluoroquinolones.