Prescribing medication is not without its adverse effects. Complications due to drug therapy are on the rise in Malaysia, especially when antibiotics are used indiscriminately. We reviewed cases admitted to the Acute Medical Ward of University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, over a two-month period from March to April 2009. The authors found that Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) were the most common severe adverse cutaneous reactions due to ingestion or parenteral use of drugs. In this report, is a brief description of the two conditions and ways to manage them. The authors have come to a conclusion that judicious use of medications with adequate patient education is important in order to avoid these adverse effects
Health Education

Acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) has a recognized association with solid organ tumors, but is relatively rare in hematological malignancies. We report a 67-year-old male who developed BP after being diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome and refractory anemia with excess of blast (RAEB). Skin biopsy elucidated sub-epidermal bulla using direct immunofluorescence, revealing linear C3 and IgG deposits along the basement membrane. His BP was recalcitrant to the conventional treatment and only responded to a combination of high dose oral prednisolone and azathioprine. The relative refractory nature of his condition and concurrent RAEB supports a paraneoplastic nature.
Aged ; Anemia ; Anemia, Refractory ; Anemia, Refractory, with Excess of Blasts ; Azathioprine ; Basement Membrane ; Biopsy ; Blister ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Male ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; Paraneoplastic Syndromes ; Pemphigoid, Bullous ; Prednisolone ; Skin

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; chemically induced ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Minocycline ; adverse effects