Severe Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions at a Tertiary Care Center in Saudi Arabia

Background. Severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (SCARs), although rare, are known to be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. SCARs include drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), Stevens–Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN), and acute gener...

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Main Author: Mohammed I. AlJasser
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-01-01
Series:Dermatology Research and Practice
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/8928198
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author Mohammed I. AlJasser
author_facet Mohammed I. AlJasser
author_sort Mohammed I. AlJasser
collection DOAJ
description Background. Severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (SCARs), although rare, are known to be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. SCARs include drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), Stevens–Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN), and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP). Studies on SCARs are limited in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to characterize SCARs at a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All inpatient and emergency department consultations to dermatology were electronically reviewed during the period from January 2016 to December 2020. All patients who developed an adverse cutaneous drug reaction were enrolled. Detailed analysis was performed only for SCARs. The culprit medication was determined based on the latency period, history of previous intake of the medication, and drug notoriety. Results. There were 3050 hospital consultations to dermatology during the study period. Cutaneous adverse drug reactions constituted 253 (8.3%) cases. A total of 41 patients with SCARs were identified, accounting for 16.2% of all cutaneous drug reactions. Antibiotics and anticonvulsants were the most common causative drug groups accounting for 28 (68.3%) and 9 (22%) cases, respectively. DRESS was the most common SCAR. The latency period was the longest for DRESS and shortest for AGEP. Vancomycin was responsible for approximately a third of DRESS cases. Piperacillin/tazobactam was the most common cause for SJS/TEN and AGEP. The majority of drugs causing AGEP were antibiotics. The mortality rate was the highest in SJS/TEN (5/11 (45.5%)), followed by DRESS (1/23 (4.4%)) and AGEP (1/7 (14.3%)). Conclusion. SCARs are rare in Saudis. DRESS appears to be the most common SCAR in our region. Vancomycin is responsible for most cases of DRESS. SJS/TEN had the highest mortality rate. More studies are required to further characterize SCARs in Saudi Arabia and Arabian Gulf countries. More importantly, thorough studies of HLA associations and lymphocyte transformation tests among Arabs with SCARs are likely to further improve patient care in the Arabian Gulf region.
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spelling doaj-art-0ed34b55e9ea44f5a5876db2d7d386542025-02-03T05:44:21ZengWileyDermatology Research and Practice1687-61132023-01-01202310.1155/2023/8928198Severe Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions at a Tertiary Care Center in Saudi ArabiaMohammed I. AlJasser0College of MedicineBackground. Severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (SCARs), although rare, are known to be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. SCARs include drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), Stevens–Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN), and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP). Studies on SCARs are limited in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to characterize SCARs at a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All inpatient and emergency department consultations to dermatology were electronically reviewed during the period from January 2016 to December 2020. All patients who developed an adverse cutaneous drug reaction were enrolled. Detailed analysis was performed only for SCARs. The culprit medication was determined based on the latency period, history of previous intake of the medication, and drug notoriety. Results. There were 3050 hospital consultations to dermatology during the study period. Cutaneous adverse drug reactions constituted 253 (8.3%) cases. A total of 41 patients with SCARs were identified, accounting for 16.2% of all cutaneous drug reactions. Antibiotics and anticonvulsants were the most common causative drug groups accounting for 28 (68.3%) and 9 (22%) cases, respectively. DRESS was the most common SCAR. The latency period was the longest for DRESS and shortest for AGEP. Vancomycin was responsible for approximately a third of DRESS cases. Piperacillin/tazobactam was the most common cause for SJS/TEN and AGEP. The majority of drugs causing AGEP were antibiotics. The mortality rate was the highest in SJS/TEN (5/11 (45.5%)), followed by DRESS (1/23 (4.4%)) and AGEP (1/7 (14.3%)). Conclusion. SCARs are rare in Saudis. DRESS appears to be the most common SCAR in our region. Vancomycin is responsible for most cases of DRESS. SJS/TEN had the highest mortality rate. More studies are required to further characterize SCARs in Saudi Arabia and Arabian Gulf countries. More importantly, thorough studies of HLA associations and lymphocyte transformation tests among Arabs with SCARs are likely to further improve patient care in the Arabian Gulf region.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/8928198
spellingShingle Mohammed I. AlJasser
Severe Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions at a Tertiary Care Center in Saudi Arabia
Dermatology Research and Practice
title Severe Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions at a Tertiary Care Center in Saudi Arabia
title_full Severe Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions at a Tertiary Care Center in Saudi Arabia
title_fullStr Severe Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions at a Tertiary Care Center in Saudi Arabia
title_full_unstemmed Severe Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions at a Tertiary Care Center in Saudi Arabia
title_short Severe Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions at a Tertiary Care Center in Saudi Arabia
title_sort severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions at a tertiary care center in saudi arabia
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/8928198
work_keys_str_mv AT mohammedialjasser severecutaneousadversedrugreactionsatatertiarycarecenterinsaudiarabia