Prevalence, risk factors, and mortality outcome in the drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms patients with cardiac involvement.

BACKGROUND: Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome is a severe cutaneous drug reaction that can affect multiple internal organ systems. Cardiac involvement in DRESS syndrome (CiDs) is uncommon but can be life-threatening. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence, risk factors, and mortality outcome of CiDs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-one patients who were diagnosed with probable and definite DRESS syndrome according to the RegiSCAR criteria were recruited. Cardiac involvement was evaluated by two independent cardiologists. RESULTS: The cardiac involvement was found in 8/41 (19.5%) patients. Specifically, myocardial involvement was found in five patients, while three patients had pericardial involvement. The majority of culprit drugs were antibiotics followed by anti-epileptic medications. The hemoglobin and albumin levels were significantly lower in the patients with CiDs when compared to the patients without CiDs (P-value = 0.005 for both factors). The mortality rate at 30 and 90 days was significantly higher among CiDs patients, that is, 3/8 (37.5%) versus 2/28 (6.1%); P-value = 0.02 and 4/8 (50.0%) versus 2/33 (6.1%); P-value = 0.002 respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study showed the prevalence of CiDs was as high as 19.5% with high mortality rate. We suggest a thorough cardiac evaluation in all DRESS patients with RegiSCAR score ≥4. The patients with CiDs had significantly lower hemoglobin and albumin levels, which might imply poor health condition, when compared to those without CiDs.

Clinical, Viral and Genetic Characteristics of Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) in Shanghai, China.

DRESS is one of the most severe drug reactions. The aim of this retrospective study was to summarize the clinical presentation, genetic predisposition and prognostic factors of DRESS. A total of 52 patients with DRESS, who were inpatients at a medical referral centre in Shanghai, China, from January 2011 to December 2016, were analysed retrospectively. All the patients had skin eruption, 83% had liver involvement, and ≤10% had other organ involvement. Mean cost of hospitalization was US$5,511±3,050. The 3 most common causative agents were allopurinol (18/52; 35%), salazosulphapyridine (11/52; 21%) and carbamazepine (5/52; 10%). HLA-B*5801 and HLA-B*1302 were associated with allopurinol-induced DRESS. HLA-B*1301 was related to salazosulphapyridine-induced DRESS. The mortality rate was 6% (3/52). Epstein-Barr virus DNA was found in 10 patients (19%) and indicated a poor prognosis. Human herpes virus 6 DNA was detected in 17 patients (33%) and was associated with autoimmune sequelae. Due to its high medical cost and sometimes poor prognosis, prevention of DRESS should be a high priority.

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms/drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome: clinical features of 27 patients.

BACKGROUND: Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) [also called drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS)] includes severe reactions to drugs that need to be promptly recognized by physicians. AIM: To explore heterogeneity in the clinical presentation of DRESS/DIHS at a large academic hospital in Latin America, using the criteria defined by the European Registry of Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions (RegiSCAR) scoring system. METHODS: A retrospective medical record review of 60 patients with diagnostic suspicion of DRESS/DIHS admitted to our hospital between July 2008 and April 2012 was performed, including demographic data, clinical features, laboratory findings and treatment. RESULTS: Of the 60 patients, 27 fulfilled the criteria for DRESS/DIHS. Maculopapular exanthema (85.1%), fever (96.2%) and hepatic involvement (85.1%) were the most common features. Anticonvulsants were the most common causal drugs (77.7%); Phenytoin was the most common individual drug (44.4%), followed by carbamazepine (29.6%). All patients were treated initially with prednisone 1 mg/kg/day. Mortality rate was 4%. CONCLUSION: The major findings of this study (to our knowledge the largest collection of data on DRESS/DIHS in Latin America) include a positive statistical association between presence of atypical lymphocytes and higher levels of alanine aminotransferase (P < 0.001) and reinforce the importance of anticonvulsants in the pathogenesis of this severe reaction.

Lamotrigine induced DIHS/DRESS: Manifestations, treatment, and outcome in 57 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical features, course, response to treatment, and outcome of lamotrigine induced drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS) or drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS). METHODS: A comprehensive PubMed and Scopus search (covering the period from January 1999 through April 2014) of the English and non-English literature (with English abstract) was conducted to identify published reports of severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs) associated with lamotrigine therapy. RESULTS: This study population included 57 patients, of whom 38 (66.67%) were female and 19 (33.33%) were male. The latency period varied from 9 days to 120 days, with a mean of 27.58 ± 20.65 days. Multisystem involvement was present in 97.37% (37/38) patients. Systemic corticosteroids were administered to (61.29%) 19/31 patients. 35/38 (92.11%) patients recovered completely, one patient developed liver failure and needed liver transplant, one died from septic shock and one died from multiple organ failure. CONCLUSIONS: We found a greater predominance of women with LTG-DIHS/DRESS, and 68.42% patients were >18 years of age. The presenting symptoms in most of patients were fever, skin rash, liver involvement, hypereosinophilia, and lymphadenopathy. Lamotrigine is associated to a rather high risk of severe cutaneous adverse reactions and to the risk of dying from such reactions, likes many other anticonvulsants. Early recognition and withdrawal of the suspected agent may avoid irreversible damage to the organs will be life saving.

Shock state: an unrecognized and underestimated presentation of drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms.

Some patients with drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) are probably admitted in intensive care unit (ICU), but data concerning their clinical features at admission are scarce. Therefore, in the present study, we used a clinical network of French intensivists to study the clinical features and evolution of DRESS patients hospitalized in ICU. A national, retrospective, multicenter study collected DRESS cases hospitalized in ICU for DRESS from 2000 to end of 2011. All files were analyzed through the RegiSCAR scoring system as "no," "possible," "probable," or "definite" DRESS. Patients were included only if they had a probable or definite DRESS. Demographic, hemodynamic, biological, and infectious data were recorded. Twenty-one patients were included. Hospital mortality was 10 (47%) of 21, and 16 of 21 patients had on admission a shock state necessitating vasopressor agents. Echocardiographic ejection fraction in shock patients was depressed (47% ± 13%). Mechanical ventilation was required in 13 of 21 cases. Hepatic failure was observed in 11 of 21 cases, acute renal failure in 18 of 20 cases, and lactic acidosis in 12 of 20 patients. Initial bacteriology was negative in all patients. Human herpesvirus reactivations were found in five of 15 cases. In conclusion, shock without bacteriological documentation associated with multiple organ failure is the most common presentation of DRESS at admission in ICU and is associated with a higher mortality than previously described.