title: Tetrazepam drug sensitivity -- usefulness of the patch test.
abstract: The muscle relaxant tetrazepam may cause severe cutaneous adverse effects. We report 4 cases of varying intensity: Stevens-Johnson syndrome, erythema-multiforme-like exanthema, maculopapular and maculo-urticarial exanthema. Patch testing with tetrazepam (10% in petrolatum) was strongly positive in the 2 patients with severe skin eruptions and weakly positive in the other 2. Oral rechallenge with tetrazepam was positive in 3 patients (1 not done). Diazepam, with a similar chemical structure to tetrazepam, was negative on patch testing and on oral challenge testing in 2 patients. Although the optimal patch test concentration of tetrazepam has still to be determined, it is a useful diagnostic tool to confirm sensitization, particularly in patients with severe bullous eruptions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Städtische Kliniken, Dortmund, University of Witten/Herdecke, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pirker
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Misic
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brinkmeier
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Frosch
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D003975:Diazepam / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010328:Patch Tests / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; C005245:tetrazepam; D003975:Diazepam