Cutaneous adverse drug reactions in children. A series of 90 cases.
BACKGROUND
Cutaneous adverse drug reactions (CADR) are frequent in children. They have different clinical presentations and may be caused by several drugs.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the epidemioclinical features of cutaneous adverse drug reactions (CADR) and the different causative drugs in a Tunisian paediatric series.


METHODS
We have retrospectively included 90 children (under 16 years old) with a well documented cutaneous drug reaction, seen in the Department of Dermatology of Charles Nicolle hospital of Tunis over 18 years (1991-2008). Age, gender, duration of skin disorders, type of cutaneous lesions, incriminated drugs, delay between drug consumption and eruption, validation by the national pharmacovigilance centre, treatment and outcome were recorded.


RESULTS
Our patients were 6.9 year-aged (sex-ratio M/F 1.19). They had maculopapular eruption (MPE) (57.7%), acute urticaria (16.6%), fixed drug eruption (14.4%), erythema multiform (2.2%), photosensitization (1.1%) or severe cutaneous drug reactions (10%).Incriminated drugs were: Antibiotics (55.5%), non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (18.8%), antiepileptics (11.1%), and analgesics (5.5%). Betalactamins were the most commonly incriminated antibiotics (32 out of 50 patients; 64%). Barbiturates were the most commonly incriminated anti-epileptics (7/90 cases, 7.7%). Favourable outcome was noted in all patients, even those with severe drug reactions.


CONCLUSIONS
MPE to antibiotics were the most common kinds of CADR in children. Drug responsibility should be based on solid criteria given the frequency of MPE of infectious origin and the frequent prescription of antibiotics in paediatric population.
Department of Dermatology, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.
Aida
A
Khaled
Monia
M
Kharfi
Myriam
M
Ben Hamida
Nadia
N
El Fekih
Sihem
S
El Aidli
Faten
F
Zeglaoui
Nadia
N
Ezzine
Becima
B
Fazaa
Mohamed Ridha
MR
Kamoun
D000293:Adolescent; D000700:Analgesics / Q000009:adverse effects; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology
D000700:Analgesics; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000927:Anticonvulsants