title: A case series of allopurinol-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis.
abstract: This is a case series of allopurinol-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis. Revisiting the indications of using allopurinol in asymptomatic hyperuricemia and a critical reappraisal of the safety profile of allopurinol is done in this article. The report is based on case presented at a tertiary hospital in Singapore. The aim of this study is to highlight the fatal consequences of the indiscriminate use of allopurinol. We report four cases of toxic epidermal necrolysis from allopurinol, three of which resulted in death. Our aim is to highlight that allopurinol in all these cases was not indicated and prescribed for asymptomatic hyperuricemia. The incidence and potentially severe and lethal consequences of allopurinol hypersensitivity syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis could be kept to a minimum by strictly adhering to the established indications of allopurinol treatment.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology unit, Block 6, Level 9, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore - 169 608, Singapore.
authors.forename: Harneet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ranu
authors.forename: Jackson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Pang Shiu
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Ming