P1: RLJ/OZN P2: KUF
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506 Drug Eruptions
tests
■Skin Biopsy+histopathology – more useful and important if skin
changes pustular, blistering, purpuric or erythrodermic, or diagnosis
uncertain. Do immunofluorescence in blistering eruptions.
■If severe or possible internal organ involvement:
➣CBC – looking for neutrophilia, atypical lymphocytosis, eosino-
philia, cytopenias (platelets, RBCs, WBCs), hemolytic anemia
➣LFTs (looking for hepatitis)
➣Urea, creatinine and urine analysis (looking for nephritis)
➣Investigate other symptomatic organs as needed – e.g., CXR, LP
differential diagnosis
■Depends on reaction morphology
■Exanthematous – infections (viral, bacterial, rickettsial), collagen
vascular disease, miliaria
■Dermatitic– see Dermatitis chapter
■Uriticarial– see Urticaria chapter
■Pustular– pustular psoriasis, folliculitits, steroid acne
■Erythrodermic– Eczema, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, lym-
phoma, mycosis fungoides, idiopathic, pityriasis rubra pilaris, hy-
pereosinophilic syndrome
■Blistering– bullous pemphigoid, pemphigus, other immune-
mediated blistering disorders
■Purpuric– vasculitis, coagulopathy
More Common Drug Associations
■Exanthematous– antibiotics, antiepileptics, gold
■Dermatitic– gold, beta-blockers, “statins”, tricyclic antidepressants
■AGEP– macrolide antibiotics, penicillins, cephalosporins, calcium
antagonists, terbinafine, itraconazole, Chinese herbal remedies
■Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis(and Stevens-Johnson syndrome) – sul-
fonamide antibiotics, phenytoin, phenobarbital, carbamazepine,
lamotrigine, NSAIDs, allopurinol, quinolones, Chinese herbal reme-
dies
■Internal organ involvement– Phenytoin, phenobarbital, carba-
mazepine, lamotrigine, sulfonamide antibiotics, dapsone, allopuri-
nol, minocycline, metronidazole, trimethoprim, abacavir
■Fixed Drug Eruption– Acetaminophen, sulfonamide antibiotics,
tetracyclines, phenobarbital, phenolphthalein
■Erythroderma– Gold, penicillin, phenytoin, phenobarbital, carba-
mazepine, lamotrigine, allopurinol