Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Skin manifestations of drug reactions

  • Published:
Current Allergy and Asthma Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Dermatologic manifestations of adverse drug reactions are commonly encountered in both hospital-based and ambulatory medical practice. Diagnosis is confounded by the myriad clinical presentations associated with cutaneous drug eruptions. Some presentations are highly characteristic, while others are not as straightforward, and may simulate other primary dermatoses. In many cases, patients are utilizing several medications and an obvious temporal relationship to a specific drug is not always apparent or expressed by the patient during disclosure of his or her medical history. A thorough medication history and a high index of suspicion are very important components in the diagnosis of drug eruptions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References and Recommended Reading

  1. Beltrani VS: Cutaneous manifestations of adverse drug reactions. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am 1998, 18:867–895. A complete and well-referenced review of skin manifestations of adverse drug reactions.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Knowles S, Shapiro L, Shear NH: Drug eruptions. Curr Probl Dermatol 2000, 12:58–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Bigby M, Jick S, Jick H: Drug-induced cutaneous reactions: a report from the Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program on 15,438 consecutive patients, 1975 to 1982. JAMA 1986, 256:3358–3365.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Leape LL, Brennan TA, Laird N: The nature of adverse events in hospitalized patients: results of the Harvard Medical Practice Study. N Engl J Med 1991, 324:377–384.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Knowles SR, Shear NH: Drug hypersensitivity syndromes. In Complete Drug Therapy for Skin Disease. Edited by Wolverton S. Philadelphia: WB Saunders; 2001:872–884. Thorough review of cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions including hypersensitivity syndrome, pseudolymphoma, serum-sickness-like reactions, and severe cutaneous adverse reactions, such as toxic epidermal necrolysis.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Wolverton SE: Update on cutaneous drug reactions. Adv Dermatol 1998, 13:65. Important reference reviewing more recently reported adverse drug reactions.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Landor M, Lashinsky A, Waxman J: Quinolone allergy? Ann Allergy Immunol 1996, 77:273–276.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Van Rijnsoever E, Kwee-Zuiderwijk W, Feenstra J: Angioneurotic edema attributed to the use of losartan. Arch Intern Med 1998, 158:2063–2065.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Beylot C, Doutre M, Beylot-Barry M: Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis. Semin Cutan Med Surg 1996, 15:244–249.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Knowles S, Shapiro L, Shear NH: Drug eruptions in children. Adv Dermatol 1999, 14:399–415. A comprehensive review of cutaneous drug reactions in the pediatric population.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Roujeau J, Bioulac-Sage P, Bourseau C: Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis: analysis of 63 cases. Arch Dermatol 1991, 127:1333–1338.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Kempinaire A, De Raeve L: Terbinafine-induced acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis confirmed by positive patch test result. J Am Acad Dermatol 1997, 37:653–655.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Park Y, Kim J, Kim C: Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis induced by itraconazole. J Am Acad Dermatol 1997, 36:794–796.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Moreau A, Dompmartin A: Drug-induced acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis with positive patch tests. Int J Dermatol 1995, 34:263–266.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Huang W, McNeely MC: Neutrophilic tissue reactions. Adv Dermatol 1999, 14:50–62.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bailey DL, Barron D, Lucky AW: Neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis: a case report and review of the literature. Pediatr Dermatol 1989, 6:133–138.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Scallan PJ, Kettler AH, Tschen JA: Neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis: evidence implicating bleomycin as a causative agent. Cancer 1988, 62:2532–2536.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Shear NH, Knowles RS, Shapiro L: Dapsone in the prevention of recurrent neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis. J Am Acad Dermatol 1996, 35:819–822.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Allegue F, Rocamora A, Martin-Gonzalez M: Infectious eccrine hidradenitis. J Am Acad Dermatol 1990, 22:1119.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Bardenstein DS, Haluschak J: Neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis simulating orbital cellulitis. Arch Ophthalmol 1994, 112:1460–1463.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Aractingi S, Mallet V: Neutrophilic dermatoses during granulocytopenia. Arch Dermatol 1995, 131:1141–1145.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Bonssmann G, Schiller M, Luger TA, Stander S: Terbinafineinduced subacute lupus erythematosus. J Am Acad Dermatol 2001, 44:925–931.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Reed BR, Huff JC, Jones SK, et al.: Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus associated with hydrochlorothiazide therapy. Ann Intern Med 1985, 103:49–51.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Callen JP, Hughes AP, Kulp-Shorten C: Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus induced or exacerbated by terbinafine. Arch Dermatol 2001, 137:1196–1198.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Vial T, Pont J, Pham E: Cefaclor-associated serum-sickness like disease: eight cases and review of the literature. Ann Pharmacother 1992, 26:910–914.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Lowery N, Kearns G, Young R: Serum-sickness like reactions associated with cefprozil therapy. J Pediatr 1994, 125:325–328.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Harel L, Amir J: Serum sickness-like reaction associated with minocycline therapy in adolescents. Ann Pharmacother 1996, 30:481–483.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Vittorio C, Muglia J: Anticonvulsant hypersensitivity syndrome. Arch Intern Med 1995, 155:2285–2290.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Shear N, Spielberg S: Anticonvulsant hypersensitivity syndrome, in vitro assessment of risk. J Clin Invest 1988, 82:1826–1832.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Hebert AA, Ralston JP: Cutaneous reactions to anticonvulsant medications. J Clin Psychiatry 2001, 62(suppl 14):22–26. An excellent and thorough updated review of cutaneous eruptions associated with anticonvulsants, including types of eruptions, and cross-reactivity.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Shapiro L, Knowles S, Shear N: Comparative safety and risk management of tetracycline, doxycycline and minocycline. Arch Dermatol 1997, 133:1224–1230.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Shear N, Spielberg S, Grant D: Differences in metabolism of sulfonamides predisposing to idiosyncratic toxicity. Ann Intern Med 1986, 105:179–187.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Wolkenstein P, Revuz J: Toxic epidermal necrolysis. Dermatol Clin 2000, 18:485–495.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Rzany B, Mockenhaupt M, Baur S: Epidemiology of erythema exudativum multiforme majus, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis in Germany (1990–1992)—structure and results of a population-based registry. J Clin Epidemiol 1996, 49:769–773.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. McGee T, Munster A: Toxic epidermal necrolysis syndrome: mortality rate reduced with early referral to regional burn center. Plast Reconstr Surg 1998, 102:1018–1022.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Callot V, Roujeau J, Bagot M: Drug-induced pseudolymphoma and hypersensitivity syndrome: two different clinical entities. Arch Dermatol 1996, 123:1315–1321.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Sinnige H, Boender C: Carbamazepine-induced pseudolymphoma and immune dysregulation. J Intern Med 1990, 227:355–358.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Prussick R, Knowles S, Shear N: Cutaneous drug reactions. Curr Probl Dermatol 1994, 6:81–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Lang B, Finlayson L: Naproxen-induced pseudoporphyria in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. J Pediatr 1994, 124:639–642.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Las Vegas Skin and Cancer Clinics, 4488 South Pecos Road, 89121, Las Vegas, NV, USA

    James Q. Del Rosso DO

Authors
  1. James Q. Del Rosso DO
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Del Rosso, J.Q. Skin manifestations of drug reactions. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 2, 282–287 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-002-0051-9

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-002-0051-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation