An 82-yr-old man was presented with fever and cough accompanied by generalized erythematous rash. He had taken mexiletine for 5 months, as he had been diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy and ventricular arrhythmia. Laboratory studies showed peripheral blood eosinophilia and elevated liver transaminase levels. Chest radiographs showed multiple nodular consolidations in both lungs. Biopsies of the lung and skin lesions revealed eosinophilic infiltration. After a thorough review of his medication history, mexiletine was suspected as the etiologic agent. After discontinuing the mexiletine and starting oral prednisolone, the patient improved, and the skin and lung lesions disappeared. Subsequently, mexiletine was confirmed as the causative agent based on a positive patch test. Drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome is a severe adverse reaction to drugs and results from treatment with anticonvulsants, allopurinol, sulfonamides, and many other drugs. Several cases of mexiletine-induced hypersensitivity syndrome have been reported in older Japanese males with manifestation of fever, rash, peripheral blood eosinophilia, liver dysfunction without other organ involvement. Here, we report a case of mexiletine-induced hypersensitivity syndrome which presented as eosinophilic pneumonia in a Korean male.
Aged, 80 and over ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents/*adverse effects ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac/drug therapy ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated/drug therapy ; Drug Hypersensitivity/*diagnosis/etiology ; Exanthema/pathology ; Humans ; Lung/pathology/radiography ; Male ; Mexiletine/*adverse effects ; Pulmonary Eosinophilia/*chemically induced/*diagnosis ; Syndrome ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ) is a commonly used antibiotic that has been associated with drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome. DRESS syndrome is characterised by fever, rash, lymphadenopathy, eosinophilia and one or more major organ involvement. Although rare, TMP-SMZ is a recognised cause of fulminant hepatic failure. We report a 17-year-old Chinese male adolescent who presented with fever, myalgia, generalised maculopapular rash and lymphadenopathy after taking TMP-SMZ for acne vulgaris. He subsequently developed hepatic encephalopathy and was worked up for urgent liver transplantation. He responded well to extracorporeal liver dialysis (originally intended as a bridging therapy) and subsequently recovered without the need for liver transplantation. This case report highlights the importance of early recognition of TMP-SMZ-induced DRESS syndrome and the need for early discontinuation of the drug in the affected patient. Extracorporeal liver dialysis and transplantation should be considered in the management of TMP-SMZ-induced fulminant hepatic failure.
Acne Vulgaris ; complications ; drug therapy ; Adolescent ; Anti-Infective Agents ; adverse effects ; Biopsy ; Drug Eruptions ; etiology ; Drug Hypersensitivity Syndrome ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Fever ; etiology ; Humans ; Liver Failure, Acute ; etiology ; therapy ; Lymphatic Diseases ; etiology ; Male ; Myalgia ; etiology ; Renal Dialysis ; methods ; Skin ; pathology ; Treatment Outcome ; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination ; adverse effects

Lamotrigine is an anticonvulsant drug used to treat partial and generalized seizure disorders. Hypersensitivity to lamotrigine usually causes mild symptoms such as fever, rash, and slight invasion of internal organs. However, a 33-year-old male patient who was admitted with Stevens-Johnson syndrome after taking lamotrigine for 15 days experienced hepatic failure and died 5 days after admission. This case demonstrates the importance of realizing that lamotrigine can lead to fatal hepatic failure, and that tests for the normal liver function should be performed when administering lamotrigine.
Adult ; Alanine Transaminase/blood ; Anticonvulsants/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Aspartate Aminotransferases/blood ; Drug Hypersensitivity/complications/*diagnosis ; Humans ; Liver/enzymology/metabolism ; Liver Failure/*etiology ; Male ; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/diagnosis/drug therapy ; Triazines/*adverse effects/therapeutic use

INTRODUCTIONFood-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (FDEIA) is an uncommon and under-recognised syndrome that clinicians may not consider in a patient presenting with anaphylaxis.

CLINICAL PICTUREWe describe here 5 patients aged 9 to 20 years old who presented at a local tertiary hospital over a 2-year period from August 2006 to July 2008. All presented with urticaria, 4 were hypotensive, 2 had angioedema and another 2 had dyspnoea. The symptoms occurred between 15 and 150 minutes (mean, 81) after exercising and consuming various food. All had consumed shellfish. All patients were admitted with the diagnosis of anaphylaxis of undefined aetiology. Diagnosis of FDEIA was only reached upon referral to an allergist.

TREATMENT AND OUTCOMEPatients were treated with standard medicines for anaphylaxis including adrenaline, antihistamines, steroids and fluid flushes. Symptoms resolved in 2 to 3 days with no further episodes. At discharge, patients were prescribed epinephrine auto-injectors and given written anaphylaxis management plans.

CONCLUSIONSMore public awareness and strategies to ensure accurate diagnosis and management of this condition are necessary.

Adolescent ; Anaphylaxis ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Angioedema ; etiology ; Animals ; Bronchodilator Agents ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Dyspnea ; etiology ; Epinephrine ; therapeutic use ; Exercise ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Seafood ; adverse effects ; toxicity ; Syndrome ; Urticaria ; etiology ; Vasoconstrictor Agents ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Allopurinol is a urate-lowering agent that is commonly used to prevent chemotherapy-related hyperuricemia. Allopurinol hypersensitivity syndrome (AHS) is a disorder involving multiple organs, which may be accompanied by cutaneous adverse reactions. We identified the characteristics and clinical outcomes of chemotherapy-associated AHS in patients with hematological malignancies. METHODS: This retrospective single-center study included 26 AHS patients (11 with and 15 without hematological malignancies) admitted to Seoul St. Mary's Hospital. AHS was defined using the criteria of Singer and Wallace. Comparisons were made using the Mann-Whitney U test and Fisher exact test as appropriate. RESULTS: In patients with a hematological malignancy and AHS, statistically significant differences were observed in terms of younger age at onset; shorter duration of exposure; higher starting and maintenance doses of allopurinol; lower incidence of eosinophilia, leukocytosis, and underlying renal insufficiency; and more frequent occurrence of fever compared to AHS patients without a hematological malignancy. Two AHS patients with a hematological malignancy were examined for human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B typing, but neither patient harbored the HLA-B*5801 allele. All of the patients ceased allopurinol treatment, with most patients making a full recovery. Two patients in the study died; however, these deaths were unrelated to AHS. One patient developed serious sequelae of AHS that required hemodialysis. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians who prescribe allopurinol for the prevention of chemotherapy-related hyperuricemia should be aware of the unique risk of AHS, even in patients with hematological malignancies who do not have known risk factors for AHS. Novel urate-lowering agents should be considered alternative treatments.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Allopurinol/*adverse effects ; Antineoplastic Agents/*adverse effects ; Comorbidity ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Hypersensitivity Syndrome/diagnosis/drug therapy/*etiology ; Female ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use ; Gout Suppressants/*adverse effects ; Hematologic Neoplasms/*drug therapy ; Humans ; Hyperuricemia/chemically induced/diagnosis/*prevention & control ; Male ; Medical Records ; Middle Aged ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Alopecia ; chemically induced ; diagnosis ; Antirheumatic Agents ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; Biopsy ; methods ; Cyclosporine ; administration & dosage ; Dermatologic Agents ; administration & dosage ; Drug Hypersensitivity Syndrome ; diagnosis ; etiology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prednisolone ; administration & dosage ; Skin ; pathology ; Sulfasalazine ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Symptom Flare Up ; Treatment Outcome ; Vitiligo ; chemically induced ; diagnosis