Clinical study of cutaneous drug eruptions in 200 patients

Background: Cutaneous drug reactions are the most common adverse reactions attributed to drugs. Any skin disorder can be imitated, induced or aggravated by drugs. Aims: The present study was carried out to determine the age, sex incidence and clinical pattern of drug eruptions, to recognize offending drugs (self medication or prescribed), to evaluate mortality and morbidity associated with drugs, to educate the patients, and to avoid self-administration of drugs and re-administration of the offending drugs.
Methods: The diagnosis of cutaneous drug reactions is mainly based on detailed history and correlation between drug intake and the onset of rash. Two hundred patients (112 males and 88 females) presenting with cutaneous drug reactions were studied.
Results: Fixed drug eruption was seen in 61 patients; others being urticaria and angioedema, morbilliform rash in 37, pruritus in 25, Stevens Johnson (SJ) syndrome in six, purpura in six, exfoliative dermatitis in five, photosensitivity in five, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis in two, acneiform eruption in three, and erythema multiforme in two patients. The most frequently affected age group was 41-50 years, followed by the 21-30 and 31-40 years age groups. The youngest patient was one year old and the oldest was 80 years old. The period of development of lesions after the intake of drug(s) varies from 01-45 days. Cotrimoxazole was the offending drug in 26 cases, followed by Ibuprofen in 20 cases.
Conclusions: Fixed drug eruption was the most common drug eruption seen. Cotrimoxazole was the most common cause of drug eruptions.