Aim: Study the epidemiological, clinical, biological and chronological drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) characteristic and indicate the implicated drugs.
Methods: We carried a retrospective study including all DRESS cases notified to the Pharmacovigilance Unit of Monastir.
Results: Our cohort of eleven patients had a median age of 40 years. Clinical examination revealed skin eruption and fever among all patients. Laboratory findings showed marked eosinophilia among all patients, hepatic cytolysis among eight patients and creatinin serum level increase among four patients. An interstitial pulmonary syndrome was noted among two patients. After culprit-drug withdrawal, outcomes were favorable for all patients. Skin tests were positive with carbamazepin and cefotaxim and negative with sulfasalazine, allopurinol and terbinafine.
Conclusion: Throughout this paper, we point out the contribution of skin tests to identify implicated drug in inducing DRESS and to testify cross reactivity and we point out the possibility of neosensitisation to a non related chemical drug after DRESS syndrome.
© 2010 Société Française de Pharmacologie et de Thérapeutique.