Etiopathological and Clinical Study of Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis: Experience from a Tertiary Care Hospital in North India

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis: European expert consensus for diagnosis and management

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is a rare, usually drug-induced, acute pustular rash. Despite the lack of strong data supporting the effectiveness of topical or systemic corticosteroids in this drug reaction, they are widely used. More generally, there is no consensus on the diagnostic modalities and the management of patients with AGEP. We aimed to provide European expert recommendations for the diagnosis and management or patients with AGEP. Members of the ToxiTEN group of the European Reference Network (ERN)-skin, all dermatologists and/or allergologists with expertise in drug reactions, elaborated these recommendations based on their own experience and on a review of the literature. Recommendations were separated into the following categories: professionals involved, assessment of the diagnosis of AGEP, management of the patient and allergological work-up after the acute phase. Consensus was obtained among experts for the list of professionals involved for the diagnosis and management of AGEP, including the minimum diagnostic work-up, the setting of management, the treatments, the modalities and the timing of allergological work-up and follow-up. European experts in drug allergies propose herein consensus on the diagnosis and management of patients with AGEP. A multidisciplinary approach is warranted, including dermatologists, allergologists and pharmacovigilance services.

Patient Care Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients with Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis: A Cross-Sectional Database Study

BACKGROUND

Current understanding of the etiology, natural history, and outcomes of acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) has been limited, with most available studies consisting of small or heterogenous cohorts.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to further characterize associated factors and disease outcomes of AGEP.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study design was employed with formal inclusion and causality criteria. Patients were identified from an inpatient database at an academic medical center, including 65 patients with AGEP and a control group of 61 patients with non-severe cutaneous adverse reactions.

RESULTS

Increased age and body mass index (BMI) were associated with higher risk of AGEP (p < 0.001). Length of stay was longer for both the overall AGEP cohort (13.1 days) and a subcohort with a primary discharge diagnosis of AGEP (9.7 days) compared with the control group (3.6 days) [p < 0.001]. Patients with AGEP were more likely to be discharged to a long-term care facility compared with control patients (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

AGEP was associated with longer length of hospitalization, higher rates of discharge to long-term care facilities, and higher mortality compared with non-severe cutaneous adverse drug reaction (SCAR) medication reactions. Future research should examine the association between morbid obesity and this particular drug reaction, and the possibility of decreasing hospitalization length given the relatively low risk of mortality among patients with AGEP.

What to expect when AGEP is induced by terbinafine? case report and critical review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis (AGEP) is a rash with multiple sterile intraepidermal or sub corneal non-follicular pustules on edematous papules, with a sudden development and rapid evolution, triggered by drugs, vaccination, insect bites, exposure to mercury and allergens.

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS

We describe a female patient who developed extensive and abnormally prolonged AGEP following exposure to terbinafine and Sars-COV Vaccine. A detailed review of terbinafine-induced-AGEP cases was performed, with the aim of evaluating if the AGEP criteria would follow a different pattern when the disease is triggered by this drug. A pubmed search helped retrieve all terbinafine induced AGEP case reports. AGEP specific Sideroff criteria were analyzed in Terbinafine-induced cases, and compared to other trigger causes.

CONCLUSIONS

when AGEP causative drug was terbinafine, a delay in recovery was observed, compared to the existing AGEP criteria when other causes are considered. Terbinafine frequently leads to delayed resolution AGEP probably due to the presence of the drug in the skin during several weeks after exposure, even after discontinuation, and the disease severity may be potentialized by additional factors such as concomitant viral infections or vaccination.