title: Severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions: a review on epidemiology, etiology, clinical manifestation and pathogenesis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the current progress in epidemiology, etiology, clinical manifestation, and pathophysiology of severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (SCADRs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were acquired by using Blackwell-Synergy, PubMed, original articles published in the main Chinese journals and related medical textbooks materials. Study selection and data extraction Throughout the literature review 49 articles were selected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SCADRs cases are rare, however, the implication is life threatening with significant mortality rates. Epidemiology studies have shown various incidences from different regions, gender, age, race and concurrent illness. There are typical signs and symptoms for each type of SCADRs, but this is not always so. Drugs associated with inducing SCADRs are anticonvulsants, antibiotics, NSAIDs and antirheumatic drugs. In some countries, especially in Asia, traditional drugs are often the cause of SCADRs. Genetic polymorphisms and viral infections are predisposition factors of SCADRs. Patients with certain genetic alleles and underlying diseases are vulnerable to SCADRs. The exact pathogenesis of SCADRs is not well defined. Nonetheless, recent study showed that reactive metabolites and immunological processes have a significant role in SCADRs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The different SCADRs reactions are attributed by different intrinsic factors, such as genetic polymorphisms, gender, age and race as well as extrinsic factors, such as underlying diseases. Different regions and culprit drugs also play a role in the various types of SCADRs.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology and Venerology Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China. tomy_martin@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Tomy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged