The DRESS syndrome: a literature review

A Case of Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is characterized by fever, skin rash, hematological abnormalities, and systemic involvement such as hepatitis. DRESS usually presents 2–6 weeks after drug initiation. DRESS should be suspected on clinical grounds in the setting of the introduction of new drug therapy and is most commonly described after the introduction of aromatic anticonvulsants, allopurinol, or antiretroviral therapies. We describe here a case of DRESS due to phenytoin exposure with complete resolution on drug discontinuation. Our patient developed DRESS with a skin rash, lymphadenopathy, and markedly abnormal liver enzymes, 4 weeks after drug initiation following drainage of a brain abscess. He was initially diagnosed as having a recurrence of the abscess or sepsis of another origin. It is important to recognise the possibility of DRESS in this setting, as a good outcome depends on the immediate withdrawal of the offending drug. A mortality rate of up to 10% has been described in unrecognised cases.

The Link between Hypersensitivity Syndrome Reaction Development and Human Herpes Virus-6 Reactivation

Background. There are challenges in the clinical diagnosis of drug-induced injury and in obtaining information on the reactivation of human herpes viruses (HHV) during idiosyncratic adverse drug reactions. Objectives. (i) To develop a unified list of drugs incriminated in drug-induced hepatotoxicity and severe cutaneous reactions, in which drug hypersensitivity leads to HHV-6 reactivation and further complication of therapy and recovery and (ii) to supplement the already available data on reporting frequencies of liver- or skin-induced cases with knowledge of individual case reports, including HHV-6 reactivation and briefly introducing chromosomally integrated HHV-6. Data Sources and Extraction. Drugs identified as causes of (i) idiosyncratic reactions, (ii) drug-induced hypersensitivity, drug-induced hepatotoxicity, acute liver failure, and Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and (iii) human herpes virus reactivation in PubMed since 1997 have been collected and discussed. Results. Data presented in this paper show that HHV-6 reactivation is associated with more severe organ involvement and a prolonged course of disease. Conclusion. This analysis of HHV-6 reactivation associated with drug-induced severe cutaneous reactions and hepatotoxicity will aid in causality assessment and clinical diagnosis of possible life-threatening events and will provide a basis for further patient characterization and therapy.

Sorafenib-induced liver failure: a case report and review of the literature

In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma characterized by vascular invasion and/or extrahepatic disease, Sorafenib is considered treatment of choice. Although mild liver test abnormalities were reported in less than 1% of the patients in the two large randomized, controlled phase III trials, four cases of severe acute Sorafenib-induced hepatitis have been described. One of these four cases died from liver failure. In this paper, a patient with HCC with lung metastases developed high fever and a severe hepatitis that rapidly evolved into liver coma and death, two weeks after the initiation of Sorafenib. Biochemical parameters pointed to a hepatocellular type of injury. Clinical and biochemical presentations were compatible with a drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome such as it has mainly been described for aromatic anticonvulsants, sulphonamides, and allopurinol. We hypothesize that an underlying cytochrome P450 dysfunction with the presence of reactive drug metabolites might lead to this potentially fatal Sorafenib-induced severe liver dysfunction.

Cutaneous adverse drug reactions to allopurinol: 10 year observational survey of the dermatology department--Cagliari University (Italy)

BACKGROUND

Allopurinol is extensively prescribed for conditions associated with urate excess, despite being responsible for severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (ADR).

OBJECTIVE

A cross-sectional survey of allopurinol cases observed at the main Dermatology Department with inpatients facilities in southern Sardinia. (approx 560,836 inhabitants).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Data collection of all consecutive patients referred for ADR between 2001 and 2010. Causality assessment followed the WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Monitoring criteria; illness severity score was adopted for toxic epidermal necrolysis (SCORTEN).

RESULTS

Allopurinol was the culprit drug in 84 of 780 cutaneous ADR cases (10.7%; 8.4 cases/year). Mean age was 74 years, 58% of the patients were female, 95% of patients required hospitalization. Clinical forms were maculo-papular eruptions (34 cases), Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (31 cases), vasculitis (six cases), Drug Rash Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) (three cases), Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustolosis (AGEP) (three cases), Pityriasis rosea-like eruption (three cases), lichenoid dermatitis (two cases), fixed drug eruption (one case), erythroderma (one case). The indication for allopurinol prescription was asymptomatic hyper-uricemia in 95% of the patients. Twelve patients were under allopurinol dosage adjustment according to creatinine clearance. Final causality assessment was definite for 12% of the cases and probable for the remaining 88%. Full recovery was achieved in 88% of subjects; ten SJS/TEN patients died (12% overall mortality; 32% mortality of the SJS/TEN cases).

CONCLUSION

Considering the populations size of Southern Sardinia, is plausible that 1.5/100,000 Sardinian will be affected by allopurinol related ADR per year. Advanced age, and inappropriate allopurinol prescription were the main conditions affecting morbidity and mortality.

[Adverse drug reactions of strontium ranelate(Protelos(®) in France]

OBJECTIVE

Study of side effects (SE) associated with strontium ranelate required by the French Drug agency (Afssaps).

METHOD

SE associated with strontium ranelate and spontaneously reported until March 2009 to the manufacturer or to the French Regional Pharmacovigilance Centers and the periodic safety reports have been analyzed. Utilisation and sales data have been obtained from the manufacturer.

RESULTS

During the 3 years of the study, 844 SE have been reported in France in patients treated with strontium ranelate. The 199 severe SE are cardiovascular (52%), cutaneous (26%), hepatodigestive (6%), neurological (5%), haematological (3%), osteomuscular (3%) and various (3%). Venous thromboembolic events (VTEE) are the most frequent cardiovascular SE (93/104) with an incidence of 1/31,052 months of treatment. At least one VTEE risk factor is present in 26 (28%) patients. DRESS syndrome which median delay of advent is 35 days is the most frequent cutaneous SE (19/51 SE) with an incidence of 1/13,725 months of treatment. The 14 severe hepatodigestive SE are hepatitis (n=5), pancreatitis (n=2) and various others SE (n=7). The 10 severe neurological SE are confusion/amnesia (n=5), convulsions (n=4) and parenthesis (n=1). The seven severe haematological SE are pancytopenia (n=5), erythroblastopenia (n=1) and thrombocytopenic purpura (n=1). Among the seven deaths, only three (two pulmonary embolisms, one DRESS syndrome) are attributable to strontium ranelate. Apart from the severe SE, 685 SE have also been reported because strontium ranelate was the only drug with an imputability "suspect".

DISCUSSION

Anti-fractural effect of strontium ranelate is at least as equal as those of bisphosphonates. Its usual SE are benign but two severe risks of strontium ranelate i.e. VTEE and DRESS syndrome are confirmed. The profile of tolerability, different from the one of bisphosphonates makes strontium ranelate as an alternative when bisphosphonates are not recommended or contraindicated (renal insufficiency for example).

CONCLUSION

If DRESS syndrome is unpredictable, the one of VTEE could be reduced by a strontium ranelate contraindication for patients with a history of VTEE and by stopping the drug if a new VTEE risk situation happens.

Fluindione and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms: an unrecognised adverse effect?

PURPOSE

Fluindione is an oral vitamin K antagonist (indanedione derivative) exclusively marketed in France and Luxembourg, known to have immuno-allergic adverse effects such as hepatitis, fever or interstitial nephritis. A few cases of drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) have been reported with fluindione. The aim of the present study was to investigate fluindione-induced DRESS cases reported in France and to describe their characteristics.

METHODS

We searched for potential cases of DRESS with fluindione reported in the French pharmacovigilance database since 2000.

RESULTS

Thirty-six cases of DRESS were included and concerned 17 women and 19 men. The mean age was 65 years (median: 68 years, range: 28-95 years). Kidneys and liver were the most frequent organs involved. Thirty-five cases were serious. In 5 cases, the effect was life-threatening. Most of the patients recovered. Fluindione was the only medicine suspected in 26 cases. Skin patch tests, performed in 10 cases, were positive with fluindione in 9 cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Fluindione is not known to be a frequent cause of DRESS. However, the number of reports found is probably underestimated. The seriousness of DRESS, as all immuno-allergic adverse effects, contraindicates fluindione reintroduction. Coumarinic derivatives are the alternatives in patients who need oral anticoagulant treatment.

An Unusual Cause of Anaemia of Chronic Disease: Lisinopril-Induced Chronic Inflammatory State

We report the case of a patient with severe systemic symptoms (weight loss, malaise, and anorexia), eosinophilic oesophagitis, and raised inflammatory markers coinciding with the use of lisinopril. The onset of symptoms occurred after the administration of lisinopril and resolved shortly after cessation of the medication. Despite thorough investigation, no other cause of the systemic inflammation and anaemia of chronic disease was found. “Drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms” (DRESSs) syndrome describes a potentially serious multiorgan inflammatory response to certain classes of drugs; this includes the use of ACE inhibitors. Although this patient did not meet strict criteria for DRESSs, the subacute inflammatory syndrome with eosinophilic organ infiltration bears similar features. ACE inhibitors should be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients with nonspecific systemic inflammation and anaemia of chronic disease where no other cause is found.