Hépatite cholestatique sévère révélant un Drug Rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) syndrome

Antibacterial antibiotic-induced drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome: a literature review

Background

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome (DRESS) is a delayed infrequent potentially life-threatening idiosyncratic drug reaction. Aromatic anticonvulsants and allopurinol are the most frequent causative agents. However, various reports of antibiotic-induced DRESS are available. In this review, we try to summarize reports of antibacterial antibiotic-induced DRESS focusing on characteristics of DRESS induced by each antibiotic group.

Methods

The data were collected by searching PubMed/MEDLINE and ScienceDirect. The keywords used as search terms were “DRESS syndrome,” “drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS),” “antibiotics,” “antimicrobial,” and names of various antimicrobial groups. Finally, 254 relevant cases with a definite or probable diagnosis of DRESS based on RegiSCAR criteria were found until 30 May 2020 and reviewed.

Results and conclusion

Totally, 254 cases of antibacterial antibiotic-induced DRESS are reported. Most of them are related to antituberculosis drugs, vancomycin, and sulfonamides, respectively. Rash and fever were most frequent clinical findings. Eosinophilia and liver injury were the most reported hematologic and visceral organ involvement, respectively. Most of the patients are managed with systemic corticosteroids. The death occurred in 16 patients which most of them experienced liver or lung involvement. The reactivation of various viruses especially HHV-6 is reported in 33 cases. The mean latency period was 29 days. It is necessary to perform thorough epidemiological, genetic, and immunological studies, also systematic case review and causality assessment, as well as well-designed clinical trials for better management of antibiotic-induced DRESS.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00228-020-03005-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

[Hypersensitivity reactions to beta-lactam antibiotics]

Allergy to beta-lactam antibiotics is a common condition and about 10% of patients report being allergic to penicillin. However, this diagnosis is largely overestimated. Two types of allergy should be distinguished and include immediate hypersensitivity that can lead to anaphylactic shock and delayed hypersensitivity, ranging from the most common maculopapular exanthema to severe bullous toxidermia or life-threatening DRESS. Allergy challenge with oriented skin tests according to the clinical features, supplemented with oral challenge in the absence of contraindication, will confirm or invalidate the diagnosis of beta-lactam allergy and will help to identify if necessary safe alternatives to beta-lactams.

[DRESS syndrome: report of three cases]

Le syndrome d'hypersensibilité médicamenteuse ou Drug Rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) est une toxidermie rare mais sévère. Nous rapportons trois observations de DRESS syndromes secondaires à la prise de carbamazipine dans deux cas et de salazopyrine dans un cas. Le délai moyen entre la prise médicamenteuse et la survenue du DRESS syndrome était de six semaines. Le médicament incriminé était arrêté d'une façon définitive dans tous les cas. Une corticothérapie par voie générale était instaurée chez tous les patients devant l'atteinte hépatique sévère. L’évolution était favorable avec disparation des lésions cutanées et normalisation du bilan hépatique. Le diagnostic du syndrome DRESS doit être évoqué devant un tableau associant une éruption fébrile et des signes systémiques faisant suite à une prise médicamenteuse. La précocité du diagnostic est fondamentale pour l'arrêt définitif des médicaments suspects. Le traitement n'est pas bien codifié mais repose actuellement sur la corticothérapie générale.

[DRESS syndrome]

DRESS syndrome (drug reaction eosinophilia and systemic symptoms) is a rare and serious drug toxidermia with potentially multiple organ dysfunctions. This report relates the case of a 9-year-old girl who presented a right cervical and mediastinal adenopathy with a mediastinal lump, fever, and deterioration of the general condition. The hospital assessment concluded in an abscess due to Staphylococcus aureus secreting a Panton-Valentine toxin with nonsevere pleuritis and pericarditis. The outcome was favorable with antibiotic treatment consisting of amoxicillin-acid clavulanic, amikacin, and clindamycin followed by oxacillin, rifampicin, and colchicine. On the 25th day of treatment, she presented recurrence of fever with a generalized rash, moderate hepatic cytolysis, hypereosinophilia, with the presence of activated lymphocytes that were further suggestive of visceral DRESS syndrome. A skin biopsy was performed that confirmed the diagnosis. The outcome was favorable after stopping all ongoing treatments even though none of the administered treatments were classically responsible for the syndrome. Symptomatic treatments (antihistaminic and topical steroids) were also administered. Patch tests, performed secondarily, were positive to penicillins; amoxicillin-clavulanic acid or oxacillin were then suspected of being responsible for the DRESS syndrome. Potentially serious, the DRESS syndrome should be considered together with atoxic epidermal necrolysis or Stevens-Johnson syndromes in the case of any rash appearing after drug administration, especially in the presence of face and eyelid edema.