title: Severe adverse cutaneous drug eruptions: epidemiological and clinical features.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adverse cutaneous drug reactions (ACDR) are common, and some can be lethal. The aim of our study was to discuss the epidemiological and clinical features of severe ACDR.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed 100 cases of ACDR from 1981 to 2007, collected in the Department of Dermatology of the La Rabta Hospital in Tunis, which is located in the north of Tunisia. Severity was defined on three criteria: hospitalization; visceral involvement; and severity markers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Characteristics of the 54 included cases were: women (70%); mean age: 44.8 years; responsible drugs: anticonvulsants (28%), antibiotics (28%), and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (15%). The most common dermatoses were maculopapular rash (50%). We observed fever (76%), lymphadenopathy (31.5%), eosinophilia (35%), and visceral involvement (50%). Twelve patients died directly related to the ACDR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study underlines the polymorphous clinical presentation of ACDR and the importance of researching some severity markers, which have important practical implications.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, La Rabta Hospital, Jabbari, Bab Saadoun 1007, Tunis, Tunisia. inesrania@myway.com
authors.forename: Inès
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zaraa
authors.forename: Meriem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Sondes
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trojjet
authors.forename: Rym
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cheikh Rouhou
authors.forename: Dalenda
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: El Euch
authors.forename: Mourad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mokni
authors.forename: Amel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben Osman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000927:Anticonvulsants