title: Widespread bullous fixed drug eruption mimicking toxic epidermal necrolysis.
abstract: This paper is written to heighten awareness of the presence of the most severe form of fixed drug eruption. Two patients with a widespread bullous form of fixed drug eruption (FDE) were initially given the diagnosis of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). Both gave a history of a previous widespread eruption from the responsible drug, each had biopsies consistent with fixed drug eruption, and most importantly, both had an uncomplicated course, with complete cutaneous reepithelialization within 10 days. These observations suggest that widespread bullous fixed drug eruption may portend a more favorable prognosis than TEN, thus stressing the potential importance of distinguishing the two diseases. A review of fixed drug eruption and possible means of differentiating the widespread bullous form from TEN are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Dermatology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio 78284.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Baird
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: De Villez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004338:Drug Combinations / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000009:adverse effects; D012872:Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D013262:Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013420:Sulfamethoxazole / Q000009:adverse effects; D014295:Trimethoprim / Q000009:adverse effects; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D010672:Phenytoin; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; D014295:Trimethoprim; D013420:Sulfamethoxazole