Retrospective study on cutaneous adverse drug reactions in a tertiary care center

Background: Cutaneous adverse drug reactions (CADRs) range from mild-to-severe types and occasionally can become fatal. Hence, these incur additional financial burden both to patients and community. Aim and Objective: The aim of the study was to describe the characteristics of CADRs reported to ADR monitoring center (AMC) of a tertiary care center. Materials and Methods: CADRs reported to the AMC over a period of 2 ½ years were retrospectively studied. This study mainly focused on affected age group, gender, various pattern of CADRs, the group and name of drugs causing CADRs, and severity and causality assessment. Results: CADRs contributed 31.6% of the total ADRs reported to the AMC. Among these, 51.7% were females and 40% were of 51–60 years age group. About 37.9% of CADRs were pruritus. Antibacterial drugs were the most common cause of CADRs and beta-lactam antibiotics were responsible for 30% of CADRs. Stevens Johnson syndrome (SJS) constituted 4.9% of CADRs and 20% of this was due to Paracetamol. Drugs were withdrawn in 89% of cases and 85% cases recovered. On causality assessment, 94% were of probable category. Conclusion: Pruritus was the most commonly observed CADR and antibacterial drugs were the most common cause. Beta lactam antibiotic was the most frequent antibacterial drug to cause CADRs. The most common serious CADR was SJS and Paracetamol was the most frequent culprit drug.

Rare causes of voice hoarseness: a case report.

We report two contrasting and rare cases of voice hoarseness in young patients of tubercular aetiology. First case report is of isolated tubercular recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy in a patient who presented with hoarseness of voice. Chest radiograph showed a left hilar prominence and bronchial washings isolated acid-fast bacilli. Hoarseness of voice as an initial symptom due to isolated vocal cord palsy with no morphological lesions in the larynx and without obvious parenchymal infiltration often poses a diagnostic dilemma. Second case report highlights the possibilities of tuberculosis of the vocal cords mimicking tumour of the larynx. This patient had an ulcerative growth involving the vocal cord which was initially mistaken for malignancy. Patient also had concomitant miliary shadowing in the lungs and laryngoscopic biopsy revealed the growth to be tuberculosis. Early diagnosis and intervention with antitubercular treatment is vital as it results in complete recovery with reversal of vocal hoarseness.

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumour of infancy: a case report.

A case of melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy occurring in the maxilla in a 13 day old neonate is described. Computed tomography and histopathology confirmed the diagnosis and a submucosal excision was carried out when the infant was 30 days old. But three weeks later the patient reported back with a recurrence and a wide surgical excision was performed. The recurrence may have been caused by incomplete removal of the tumor cells and the initial surgical procedure may have stimulated tumour cell proliferation. Fortunately, 6 month follow up of the patient showed no recurrence.

Unicystic ameloblastoma of the maxilla: a case report.

Unicystic ameloblastoma is believed to be less aggressive and responds more favorably to conservative surgery than the solid or multicystic ameloblastomas. This report is a rare case of unicystic ameloblastoma of the maxilla that was treated by enucleation under suspicion of a radicular cyst related to a dens in dente. The neoplastic nature of the lesion became evident only when the enucleated material was available for histologic examination. With this report, the authors illustrate the importance and complexity of a differential diagnosis of lesions with a cystic aspect in the anterior region of the maxilla, among them - inflammatory radicular cysts, odontogenic keratocysts, adenomatoid odontogenic and unicystic ameloblastoma. Relevant diagnostic problems and choice of treatment of unicystic ameloblastoma are presented along with a review of the literature.