Adverse cutaneous drug eruptions and HIV: a clinician's global perspective

Incidence of Allergic Drug Eruption due to Cotrimoxazole in HIV-Positive Individuals with CD4 ≤200 Cells/ul

Allergic drug eruptions (ADE) remain a challenge in people living with HIV (PLWH), requiring more studies to guide clinical approaches. While cotrimoxazole is widely used as prophylaxis in PLWH, relationship between client characteristics toward the occurrence of cotrimoxazole ADEs is still poorly understood.A retrospective cohort study followed PLWH initiated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) in St. Carolus Hospital between January 2009 to December 2021. ADE occurrence due to cotrimoxazole were tested for significance using Pearson's Chi-square and Fisher's Exact Test (significant outcome measured as p < 0.05) against CD4 levels at very low (0-100 cells/ul) and low (101-200 cells/ul) groups, comorbidities, and retention status.Cotrimoxazole-related ADEs occurred in 258 (14%) of 1789 subjects with CD4 levels ≤200 cells/ul. Comorbidities of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and M. tuberculosis infections were found in 11, 4, and 95 subjects respectively. 151 (59%) of ADE group had very low CD4 levels (p value > 0.05). No significant difference was found in ADE incidence between age groups, genders, CD4 levels, comorbidities, and ART retention.Cotrimoxazole-induced ADE is unrelated to CD4 levels, and ART retention was not affected. ADE severity ranges from mild to serious manifestations, and close monitoring is crucial to ensure ADEs are treated ART are well-maintained.

IFN-γ ELISpot in Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions to First-Line Antituberculosis Drugs in an HIV Endemic Setting

Severe cutaneous adverse reactions related to first-line antituberculosis drugs are associated with high mortality and long-term morbidity. Oral sequential drug challenge, as a form of drug provocation testing, helps to salvage therapy by identifying culprit drugs but is associated with risk and is costly. IFN-γ enzyme-linked immune absorbent spot (ELISpot), an adjunctive in vitro diagnostic tool, may help to guide risk-stratification approaches. To determine the diagnostic accuracy of IFN-γ ELISpot against full-dose sequential drug challenge, we analyzed samples collected prospectively at multiple time points in 32 patients with first-line antituberculosis drug‒associated severe cutaneous adverse reaction (81% HIV infected, 25 with drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms, and 7 with Stevens‒Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis). Sensitivity of IFN-γ ELISpot was 33% (4 of 12), 13% (1 of 8), 11% (1 of 9), and 0% (0 of 4) for rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol, respectively (positivity threshold ≥50 spot forming units/million cells). Specificity was 100% for all the four drugs. Rifampicin IFN-γ ELISpot sensitivity increased to 58% (7 of 12) if a threshold of 20 spot forming units was used and to 75% (3 of 4) when restricted to samples <12 weeks after acute severe cutaneous adverse reaction event; specificity remained 100% for both. IFN-γ ELISpot offers adequate risk stratification of rifampicin severe cutaneous adverse reaction using acute samples and lowered threshold for positivity. Given the low sensitivity of IFN-γ ELISpot for other first-line antituberculosis drugs, additional optimization is needed to improve risk-stratification potential.

Cutaneous adverse drug reactions among people living with human immunodeficiency virus in a tertiary care hospital in Johor, Malaysia

BACKGROUND

Cutaneous adverse drug reactions (cADRs) among people living with HIV (PLWH) are common. Data on drug eruptions among PLWH in Malaysia are limited. Thus, our study aimed to determine the clinical patterns of cADRs among PLWH and the risk factors associated with severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCAR).

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among PLWH who developed cADRs presenting to our dermatology clinic from June 2020 to December 2020. The Naranjo scale was used for drug causality assessment.

RESULTS

A total of 78 PLWH were recruited with a male-to-female ratio of 12:1. The maculopapular eruption was the commonest type of cADRs (75.6%), followed by drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) (15.4%). SCAR is defined as a potentially life-threatening, immunologically mediated, drug-induced disease, accounting for 17.9% of the cases. Most of the patients were on antiretroviral therapy (ART) (85.9%), with efavirenz + tenofovir/emtricitabine being the most common combination (80.6%). Efavirenz (51.3%) was the main culprit drug implicated, followed by trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (23.1%) and nevirapine (11.5%). CD4 T-cell count <100 cells/μL (p = 0.006) was the independent risk factor for SCAR. Most cases had probable causal relationships with the culprit drugs (84.6%) and were not preventable (93.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

The commonest cADR seen in PLWH was maculopapular eruption, while efavirenz, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and nevirapine were the three main implicated drugs. Most of the cases had probable drug causality and were not preventable. PLWH with CD4 count <100 cells/μL were particularly at risk of developing SCAR. Overall, this study showed that immune suppression and polypharmacy as a consequence of opportunistic infection prophylaxis are important factors contributing to the increased risk of ADRs among PLWH.

Manifestaciones mucocutáneas y su relación con el recuento de linfocitos T CD4 en pacientes infectados con el virus de inmunodeficiencia humana hospitalizados en Medellín, Colombia

Introducción.

Entre el 80 y el 95 % de los pacientes infectados por el virus de inmunodeficiencia humana (HIV) desarrollan manifestaciones en la piel que sirven como marcadores de su estado inmunológico.

Objetivos.

Describir las manifestaciones dermatológicas y los factores clínicos y sociodemográficos de los pacientes hospitalizados con diagnóstico de HIV y su correlación con el recuento de linfocitos T CD4.

Materiales y métodos.

Se hizo un estudio observacional de corte transversal y retrospectivo a partir del registro de las historias clínicas de 227 pacientes mayores de edad con diagnóstico de HIV, evaluados por dermatología en un hospital de Medellín, Colombia.

Resultados.

Los 227 registros daban cuenta de 433 manifestaciones dermatológicas, el 64,4 % de ellas infecciosas. Las tres manifestaciones más frecuentes fueron candidiasis oral, condilomas acuminados y reacciones a medicamentos. Se encontró una relación estadísticamente significativa entre el virus del herpes zóster (HZ) diseminado y la sífilis secundaria, con un recuento de CD4 entre 200 y 499 células/mm³ (p=0,04 y 0,028, respectivamente), y entre la candidiasis oral y un recuento de CD4 menor de 100 células/ mm³ (p=0,008).

Conclusiones.

La relación entre el herpes zóster diseminado y un recuento de CD4 entre 200 y 499 células/mm³ sugiere que, a pesar de los recuentos altos, se pueden presentar formas graves de la enfermedad debido a una posible disfunción de las células T y el agotamiento del sistema inmunológico. La relación entre la candidiasis oral y un recuento de CD4 menor de 100 células/mm³ plantea la posibilidad de considerar esta infección micótica como un marcador importante de debilitamiento inmunológico de los pacientes con HIV.

The association of CD4 lymphocyte count with drug hypersensitivity reaction to highly active antiretroviral therapy, trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole, and antitubercular agents in human immunodeficiency virus patients

Background

The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and antibiotic regimens for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and its concomitant opportunistic infections, respectively, significantly improve the morbidity and mortality of the infected patients. However, these drugs commonly cause drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs) in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The reason proposed are multifactorial, which includes immune hyperactivation, changes in drug metabolism, patient cytokine profiles, oxidative stress, genetic predisposition, and the principal target in HIV patients, the CD4+ lymphocytes.

Objective

This study determined the association of CD4 count and DHRs to first-line HAART, trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole, and antitubercular agents among HIV patients.

Methods

This is a retrospective analytical study. Review of charts were done. The demographic and clinical profile used a descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation for quantitative data and frequency and percent for categorical data. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used to measure the degree of the relationship of CD4 count and DHRs.

Results

A total of 337 eligible patients were included. There was a 25% incidence of hypersensitivity reactions. However, the prevalence of DHRs across the different CD4 groups was not statistically significant (p = 0.167). Likewise, the study found no significant association between the CD4 count and DHRs to first-line HAART, trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole, and antitubercular agents (p = 0.311). The most common DHR was morbilliform rash, and nevirapine was the most reported antiretroviral drug causing DHR.

Conclusion

There was no association in the CD4 count and DHRs to first-line HAART, trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole, and antitubercular agents. Hence, regardless of the baseline CD4 lymphocyte count, the physician should be vigilant in monitoring hypersensitivity reactions. Patient education on common DHRs is very important upon diagnosis of HIV and/or initiation of treatment.

Viral Infections and Cutaneous Drug-Related Eruptions

In the general population, up to 10% of children treated by antibiotics have cutaneous adverse drug reaction, but allergy is confirmed in less than 20% of patients. Most of the non-allergic reactions are probably due to virus, such as enterovirus acute infection or Ebstein-Barr Virus (EBV) acute infection or reactivation. Especially in children, viruses have the propensity to induce skin lesions (maculopapular rash, urticaria) due to their skin infiltration or immunologic response. In drug-related skin eruptions, a virus can participate by activating an immune predisposition. The culprit antibiotic is then the trigger for reacting. Even in severe drug-induced reactions, such as Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) syndrome, viruses take part in immune phenomena, especially herpes viruses. Understanding the mechanisms of both virus- and drug-induced skin reaction is important to develop our clinical reflection and give an adaptive care to the patient. Our aim is to review current knowledge on the different aspects and potential roles of viruses in the different type of drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHR). Although major advances have been made those past year, further studies are needed for a better understanding of the link between viruses and DHR, to improve management of those patients.

Severe Delayed Cutaneous and Systemic Reactions to Drugs: A Global Perspective on the Science and Art of Current Practice

Most immune-mediated adverse drug reactions (IM-ADRs) involve the skin, and many have additional systemic features. Severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (SCARs) are an uncommon, potentially life-threatening, and challenging subgroup of IM-ADRs with diverse clinical phenotypes, mechanisms, and offending drugs. T-cell-mediated immunopathology is central to these severe delayed reactions, but effector cells and cytokines differ by clinical phenotype. Strong HLA-gene associations have been elucidated for specific drug-SCAR IM-ADRs such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis, although the mechanisms by which carriage of a specific HLA allele is necessary but not sufficient for the development of many IM-ADRs is still being defined. SCAR management is complicated by substantial short- and long-term morbidity/mortality and the potential need to treat ongoing comorbid disease with related medications. Multidisciplinary specialist teams at experienced units should care for patients. In the setting of SCAR, patient outcomes as well as preventive, diagnostic, treatment, and management approaches are often not generalizable, but rather context specific, driven by population HLA-genetics, the pharmacology and genetic risk factors of the implicated drug, severity of underlying comorbid disease necessitating ongoing treatments, and cost considerations. In this review, we update the basic and clinical science of SCAR diagnosis and management.

Lichenoid drug reaction to isoniazid presenting as exfoliative dermatitis in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

Human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients are at increased risk of drug reactions because of immune dysregulation and multiple drug intake. Lichenoid drug reactions to isoniazid have been reported previously in the literature. However, for lichenoid drug reaction to isoniazid to be so extensive to present as exfoliative dermatitis is rare. We report here a rare case of lichenoid drug reaction to isoniazid presenting as exfoliative dermatitis in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

HIV infection predisposes skin to toxic epidermal necrolysis via depletion of skin-directed CD4⁺ T cells

BACKGROUND

A greater incidence of adverse cutaneous drug eruptions, including toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), occurs among HIV-infected patients.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to determine if immunophenotypical differences exist in the inflammatory infiltrates of TEN lesions from HIV-infected individuals versus noninfected individuals.

METHODS

The inflammatory infiltrates in 12 cases of TEN from HIV-positive patients were characterized and compared with the infiltrates present in 12 cases of TEN from HIV-negative patients.

RESULTS

TEN infiltrates consisted of CD3, CD4, and CD8 immunoreactive T lymphocytes in both the dermis and epidermis. HIV infection was associated with an 8-fold increase in the ratio of CD8(+) to CD4(+) T cells infiltrating the dermis (P = .006) and a decrease in the number of dermal CD4(+) cells (P = .044). There was also a significant decrease in the ratio of CD25(+) to CD4(+) cells in the epidermis of HIV-infected skin (P = .011).

LIMITATIONS

This study is limited by small sample sizes.

CONCLUSION

A decrease in the number of skin-directed CD4(+) cells and an increase in the ratio of CD8(+) to CD4(+) cells exists in TEN lesions among HIV-infected individuals and likely contribute to an increased risk of developing drug reactions because of the loss of skin-protective CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells.

Drug hypersensitivity in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patient: challenging diagnosis and management

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients present complex immunological alterations. Multiple drugs that usually prescribed for prevention or treatment of opportunistic infections and antiretroviral pose these patients a higher risk of developing drug hypersensitivity. All antiretroviral agents and drugs to treat opportunistic infections have been reported to cause drug hypersensitivity reactions. Allergic reactions with antiretroviral are not restricted to older agents, although newer drugs usually more tolerated. Cutaneous adverse drug reactions are the most common manifestation of drug hypersensitivity in HIV, typically manifesting as maculopapular rash with or without systemic symptoms in the presence or absence of internal organ involvement. The onset of an allergic reaction is usually delayed. Severe drug hypersensitity reactions as erythema multiforme, Stevens Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis develop more often in HIV-infected patients compared to other populations. Mild to moderate rash without systemic symptom or organ involvement usually do not need drug discontinuation. Appropriate diagnosis and management of drug hypersensitivity reactions are essential, especially in patients with very low CD4+ T-cell count and multiple opportunistic infections. Clinicians should aware of different half-life of each drug when decided to stop the drug. Knowledge of the metabolism, recognition of the risk factors, and the ability to suggest the probability of particular drug as causative are also important points. A step wise rechallenge test or desensitization with the offending drug might be a preferable action and more commonly used in managing drug hypersensitivity in HIV-infected patients. Desensitization protocols have been successfully done for several antiretroviral and opportunistic infection drugs.

Clinical presentations of severe cutaneous drug reactions in HIV-infected Africans

Sub-Saharan Africa is the epicenter of the HIV pandemic and HIV-infected people are more susceptible to inflammatory dermatoses, infections, and drug eruptions. Many of the drugs used for HIV-associated opportunistic infections are associated with a higher incidence of drug-related toxicities and drug interactions. This article discusses the epidemiology, pharmacogenetics, and clinical features of idiosyncratic drug reactions in HIV-infected Africans. Special considerations in this population, including immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, multiple drug hypersensitivity syndrome, drug reactions in pregnancy, drug rechallenge in lichenoid drug eruptions, and anxiety/depression after cutaneous adverse drug reactions, are also briefly discussed.

Toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome in South Africa: a 3-year prospective study

BACKGROUND

Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) remain feared medication-related reactions. HIV infection and tuberculosis predispose to drug eruptions, yet there is a paucity of data on TEN/SJS in populations with high prevalences of both diseases.

AIM

The aim of this prospective observational study was to describe the features and outcomes of patients admitted with TEN/SJS at a large academic hospital in South Africa. We aimed to identify poor prognostic indicators and to validate the use of the TEN-specific severity-of-illness score (SCORTEN) in this population.

METHODS

All patients admitted with TEN/SJS over a 3-year period were enrolled. Disease severity was graded according to percentage skin involved and SCORTEN. Co-morbid diagnoses, clinical features, investigations, complications and outcomes were noted.

RESULTS

75 patients (39.9 ± 10.6 years, 16 males, 59 HIV positive) were classified as TEN (n  = 42), TEN/SJS overlap (n = 11) and SJS (n = 22). Twenty-four percent died, most from refractory septic shock. Non-survivors had a higher mean SCORTEN on Days 1 and 3 (1.89 vs. 1.04, P = 0.006 and 2.27 vs. 0.90, P < 0.001). A SCORTEN ≥2 on Days 1 and 3 predicted non-survival (OR = 2.94, P = 0.047; OR = 7.45, P < 0.001). Other predictors of non-survival included HIV infection (OR = 6.01, P = 0.058), HIV-tuberculosis co-infection (OR = 8.5, P < 0.001), ≥40% skin involvement (OR = 20.27, P < 0.001), anaemia (OR = 4.68, P = 0.005), hypoalbuminemia (OR = 8.5, P = 0.001) and severe sepsis (OR = 71.09, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Most patients with TEN/SJS were HIV positive and female. We validated the use of SCORTEN and identified several prognostic indicators, most significant being HIV-tuberculosis co-infection, ≥40% skin involvement and severe sepsis.

Cutaneous adverse drug reactions to anti-tuberculosis drugs: state of the art and into the future

First- and second-line anti-tuberculosis drugs are associated with a diverse presentation of cutaneous adverse drug reactions (CADR), ranging from mild to life threatening. An individual drug can cause multiple types of CADR, and a specific type of CADR can be due to any anti-tuberculosis drug, which can make the management of tuberculosis (TB) following CADR challenging. The higher incidence of TB and CADR in HIV-infected persons makes TB-associated CADR a burgeoning problem for clinicians, particularly in high HIV-prevalence settings. This review discusses the pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis and management of TB-associated CADR. Clinical controversies including its impact on treatment outcomes, challenges in restarting optimal anti-tuberculosis therapy and the timing of highly active antiretroviral therapy initiation in those with HIV coinfection are also discussed. Finally, gaps in the current knowledge of TB-associated CADR have been identified and a research agenda has been proposed.

New insights into HIV-1-primary skin disorders

Since the first reports of AIDS, skin involvement has become a burdensome stigma for seropositive patients and a challenging task for dermatologist and infectious disease specialists due to the severe and recalcitrant nature of the conditions. Dermatologic manifestations in AIDS patients act as markers of disease progression, a fact that enhances the importance of understanding their pathogenesis.

Broadly, cutaneous disorders associated with HIV type-1 infection can be classified as primary and secondary. While the pathogenesis of secondary complications, such as opportunistic infections and skin tumours, is directly correlated with a decline in the CD4⁺ T cell count, the origin of the certain manifestations primarily associated with the retroviral infection itself still remains under investigation.

The focus of this review is to highlight the immunological phenomena that occur in the skin of HIV-1-seropositive patients, which ultimately lead to skin disorders, such as seborrhoeic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and eosinophilic folliculitis. Furthermore, we compile the latest data on how shifts in the cytokines milieu, impairments of the innate immune compartment, reactions to xenobiotics and autoimmunity are causative agents in HIV-1-driven skin diseases. Additionally, we provide a thorough analysis of the small animal models currently used to study HIV-1-associated skin complications, centering on transgenic rodent models, which unfortunately, have not been able to fully unveil the role of HIV-1 genes in the pathogenesis of their primarily associated dermatological manifestations.

[The role of the hospital pharmacist in the prevention, treatment and management of the side effects associated with antiretroviral treatment]

At present, the side effects associated with antiretroviral treatment are the main reasons for discontinuation of this kind of therapy, both in clinical trials and in regular clinical practise. On the other hand, due to the change of direction that our profession has suffered in recent years, we face the need to establish a different relationship with the patient, achieving direct and effective Pharmaceutical Care within a framework of shared responsibility for therapeutic results. Pharmacist interventions should be aimed at improving the quality of life of patients, which can only be achieved with a multidisciplinary approach and individualised and adjusted to new patterns of toxicity of the drugs currently used. The pharmacist who does this work must know how to interpret these side effects, giving accurate information to the patient about both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment and correct pharmaceutical follow-up which clearly sets forth the criteria for referral to medical appointments. The aim of this paper is to establish baselines so that the hospital pharmacist can perform clearly and uniformly in the prevention, identification and management of major side effects: gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, dermatological, at the central nervous system and kidney level, associated with antiretroviral therapy.

Approach to the acute, generalized, blistering patient

This article discusses the approach to the acute, generalized, blistering patient from the perspective of the dermatologic consultant. Initially, a case is presented, followed by a discussion of the relevant evaluation, differential diagnosis, and treatment options.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis

Since their first descriptions in 1922 and 1948, respectively, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN) have become recognized as manifestations--with different severity--of the same disease process along a spectrum of illness. Even today, decades after their description, there is still disagreement about when a particular bullous disease evolves from erythema multiforme to SJS/TEN. There is no disagreement, however, about the potentially life-threatening nature of the disease. Many cases are misdiagnosed, especially in their early stages. In this paper we address our current understanding of this disease spectrum and discuss both accepted and more controversial modes of therapy.