title: Toxic epidermal necrolysis and clarithromycin.
abstract: Toxic epidermal necrolysis almost always occurs after taking a medication. Despite spectacular clinical signs, it is mainly diagnosed with pathologic techniques. The identification of a drug as the cause for the immune related cytotoxic reaction can be difficult if the molecule is not generally known to be a classical cause of this reaction. The present study describes a female patient who rapidly developed a severe bullous skin disease after taking clarithromycin for tonsillitis. The case illustrates the process involved in attributing causality to a molecule using an established imputability assessment framework.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Science Laboratory, Pellegrin Hospital, University of Teaching Hospital, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khaldi
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miras
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gromb
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013262:Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017291:Clarithromycin