Levofloxacin-induced fatal toxic epidermal necrolysis

Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Observed in a Patient With the HLA-B*1502 Treated With Levofloxacin

PURPOSE

To determine the relationship between HLA-B gene mutations and levofloxacin-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN).

METHODS

A 71-year-old Chinese woman developed TEN after oral administration of solifenacin (5 mg) and levofloxacin (0.5 g) for cystitis. HLA-B*5801 and HLA-B*1502 alleles were detected using real-time PCR.

FINDINGS

After supportive therapy (antiallergic treatments, plasma exchange, etc) and withdrawal of the culprit medication levofloxacin, the patient was discharged with re-epithelialization of the exfoliated skin. The patient was HLA-B*1502 allele positive and HLA-B*5801 allele negative.

IMPLICATIONS

This is the first report of levofloxacin-induced TEN suspected to be caused by mutations in the HLA-B*1502 allele.

Direct challenges are the gold standard for most antibiotic allergy evaluations

Antibiotic allergies are frequently encountered in clinical practice, and delabeling of these allergies has individual and public health benefits. This review focuses on the evidence supporting graded challenges without preceding skin testing in adult and pediatric patients to the major groups of antibiotics including penicillins, cephalosporins, sulfamethoxazole, fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, macrolides, metronidazole, carbapenems, and aztreonam. The cost savings, time savings, and evidence for performing graded challenges outside of an allergy/immunology office are also reviewed for graded challenges to penicillins.

An association study of HLA with levofloxacin-induced severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions in Han Chinese

Levofloxacin-induced severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (LEV-SCARs) remain unexplored. An association study of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles with LEV-SCARs among 12 patients, 806 healthy subjects, and 100 levofloxacin-tolerant individuals was performed. The carrier frequencies of HLA-B∗13:01 (odds ratio [OR]: 4.50; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15-17.65; p = 0.043), HLA-B∗13:02 (OR: 6.14; 95% CI: 1.73-21.76; p = 0.0072), and serotype B13 (OR: 17.73; 95% CI: 3.61-86.95; p = 4.85 × 10-5) in patients with LEV-SCARs were significantly higher than those of levofloxacin-tolerant individuals. Molecular docking analysis suggested that levofloxacin formed more stable binding models with HLA-B∗13:01 and HLA-B∗13:02 than with non-risk HLA-B∗46:01. Mass spectrometry revealed that nonapeptides bound to HLA-B∗13:02 shifted at several positions after exposure to levofloxacin. Prospective screening for serotype B13 (sensitivity: 83%, specificity: 78%) and alternative drug treatment for carriers may significantly decrease the incidence of LEV-SCARs.

A typical presentation of moxifloxacin-induced DRESS syndrome with pulmonary involvement: a case report and review of the literature

Background

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome is a kind of hypersensitivity drug reaction involving the skin and multiple internal organ systems. Moxifloxacin has rarely been reported to be a drug that is associated with DRESS syndrome. Lungs are less frequently involved in DRESS syndrome, but their involvements may herald more serious clinical processes. We present a rare typical case of moxifloxacin-induced DRESS syndrome with lungs involved. Valuable clinical data such as changes in the pulmonary imaging and pulmonary function tests was recorded. This case is important for the differential diagnosis of DRESS syndrome with lungs involved by providing clinical manifestations, CT imaging, pulmonary function tests, and biopsy pathological characteristics. The changes in pulmonary imaging and pulmonary function tests may help us understand the mechanism of DRESS syndrome further.

Case presentation

We report a case of a 47-year-old woman who was treated with oral moxifloxacin for community-acquired pneumonia. The patient subsequently developed a cough, fever, liver injury, skin rash, hematologic abnormalities, and shortness of breath (SOB) followed by pharyngeal herpes and peripheral neuritis. These symptoms, clinical lab index, and CT scan of the lungs improved after the withdrawal of moxifloxacin. The probability of moxifloxacin-induced DRESS syndrome was rated as “Definite”, with 7 scores graded by RegiSCAR. A literature search was also performed with “fluoroquinolones,” “moxifloxacin,” “ciprofloxacin,” “levofloxacin,” “delafloxacin,” and “DRESS” or “drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS)” as the keywords that were put into PubMed. The overall pulmonary involvement was approximately 9.1% (1/11). It is a rare reported case of DRESS syndrome with pulmonary involvement induced by moxifloxacin. We summarized detailed clinical data, including pulmonary imaging and pulmonary function changes.

Conclusion

This is a rare reported case of DRESS syndrome with pulmonary involvement induced by moxifloxacin. Prompt recognition and correct diagnosis can promote appropriate treatment and accelerate recovery. This case is important for us as a reference in the differential diagnosis of DRESS syndrome and helps us further understand the mechanism of DRESS syndrome.

Update on Quinolone Allergy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Quinolones are a group of synthetic antibiotics widely use as first-line treatment for many infections. There has been an increase in the incidence of hypersensitivity reactions to quinolones in recent years, likely due to increased prescription. The purpose of this review is to summarize the clinical pictures, the methods used for diagnosing and the management of allergic reactions to quinolones.

RECENT FINDINGS

Allergic reactions to quinolones can be immediate or delayed, being anaphylaxis and maculopapular exanthema respectively the most frequent clinical entities. A precise diagnosis is particularly difficult since clinical history is often unreliable, skin tests can induce false-positive results, and commercial in vitro test are not well validated. Therefore, drug provocation testing is considered the gold standard to establish diagnosis, which is not a risk-free procedure. Cross-reactivity between quinolones is difficult to predict due to the small number of patients included in the few published studies. Moreover, hypersensitivity to quinolones has also been associated with beta-lactam and neuromuscular blocking agent allergies, although further studies are needed to understand the underlying mechanisms. Avoidance of the culprit quinolone is indicated in patients with a diagnosis of hypersensitivity to these drugs. When quinolone treatment is the only therapeutic option available, desensitization is necessary. This review summarizes the complex diagnostic approach and management of allergic reactions to quinolones.

Necrólisis epidérmica tóxica en paciente infectado por virus de inmunodeficiencia humana

Introducción: Necrólisis Epidérmica Tóxica es un trastorno multifactorial, en el cual participan, infecciones virales, interacciones medicamentosas, y donde la carga genética cumple un papel importante en la susceptibilidad a las reacciones adversas. Con la presentación de este artículo se quiere exponer el reporte de un caso de una enfermedad poco común en el ámbito médico, pero la cual tiene un alto índice de morbimortalidad, y secuelas. En pacientes con coinfección con el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana se aumenta 1000 el riesgo de padecerla. Presentamos un paciente masculino de 32 años, con antecedentes de síndrome convulsivo en manejo con fenobarbital y fenitoína, en coinfección por virus de inmunodeficiencia humana de diagnóstico reciente, sin niveles de CD4, ni carga viral y sin manejo antirretroviral, quien presenta ingestión de ciprofloxacino 12 días antes del inicio de cuadro clínico el cual es consistente con fiebre elevada, lesiones vesiculosas de fondo eritematoso, confluentes, observándose flictenas en pared anterior tórax de contenido seroso, con desprendimiento de la epidermis al ejercer una suave presión sobre la piel afectada dejando áreas húmedas, rojas, Nikolsky positivo,  cuya extensión de las lesiones comprometen el 91% de su superficie corporal total, acompañada además de prurito de moderada intensidad. Durante la estancia hospitalaria se realiza manejo terapéutico con ciclosporina A, e inmunoglobulina G específica humana, cubrimiento antibiótico y antimicótico con evolución satisfactoria del estado hemodinámico del paciente y las lesiones en piel.  [Escalante E, Oliva J, Paez E. Necrólisis epidérmica tóxica en paciente infectado por virus de inmunodeficiencia humana. Reporte de un caso. MedUNAB 2012;15(1):68-72].

Seizure and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis with Fluoroquinolone; Another Case of TEN with Levofloxacin; Neurotoxicity with Unexpected High Levels of Free Valproic Acid; Acute Clonidine Withdrawal Leads to an Acute Myocardial Infarction; Hepatotoxicity and Hepatorenal Toxicity with SSRIs; Serotonin Toxicity Associated with Linezolid; The RADAR Project – Research on Adverse Drug Events and Reports; Nonadherence Causes Problems!

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