Rates of cutaneous reactions to drugs.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the validity, magnitude, precision, and applicability of data on the rates at which drugs cause adverse cutaneous reactions.


METHODS
Systematic review of the medical literature.


METHODS
The MEDLINE database was searched (1966-August 2000) for studies that contain information on the rates of cutaneous reactions to drugs. The bibliographies of retrieved articles and review articles were also examined to find relevant studies.


METHODS
Studies that included primary data on cutaneous reaction rates to drugs were evaluated for their validity, magnitude, precision, and applicability, using guidelines derived from existing guidelines for the evaluation of articles about harm and prognosis.


RESULTS
Nine studies met the study criteria. Five of the studies were based on prospectively collected data on medical inpatients, 2 were retrospective studies based on chart or computerized medical record review, and 2 were based on spontaneous reports and consumption data. The morbilliform drug exanthem and urticaria were the most common cutaneous reactions to drugs. Reaction rates varied from 0% to 8% and were highest for antibiotics (in the range of 1% to 8% for several classes of antibiotics).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite differences in the methods of the studies reviewed and their time of execution, there is remarkable agreement in the results. Reaction rates (and 95% confidence intervals) are available for many commonly used drugs.
Bigby
M
M
Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA.mbigby@caregroup.harvard.edu
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents