adverse cutaneous drug reaction

Etiology

• sulfonamide antibiotics & cephalosporins with highest risk of serious reactions relative to macrolides
• nitrofurantoin, penicillins, & fluoroquinolones with lesser risks

Epidemiology

• 2 hospital visits for cutaneous adverse drug reactions occur for every 1,000 antibiotic prescriptions
• most drug reactions do not lead to hospitalization
• hospitalization risk highest for cephalosporins, 4.9 per 1,000 prescriptions & sulfonamides, 3.2 per 1,000 prescriptions
• 1 in 8 patients presenting to the ED with an adverse cutaneous drug reaction are hospitalized
  • 9.6% require transfer to critical care
  • 5.3% will die while hospitalized

Clinical manifestations

• drug rashes
• Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis

More general terms

• adverse drug reaction (ADR)