title: Fatal case of cephalexin-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a case of toxic epidermal necrolysis likely caused by cephalexin with a review of the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  An 80-year-old male with a known allergy to cephalosporins, residing at a long-term acute care hospital, received cephalexin for a urinary tract infection. And 1 day after starting therapy, the patient developed an extensive erythematous rash accompanied by skin sloughing; 4 days after receiving cephalexin, the patient was directly admitted to the burn intensive care unit and was diagnosed with toxic epidermal necrolysis involving 56% of the total body surface area. Progressive deterioration to multisystem organ failure ensued, and the patient died 5 days following his admission to the burn intensive care unit. At the time of death, ulcerations were noted over approximately 80% of his body.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The temporal association of the patient's ingestion of cephalexin for a urinary tract infection to his onset of toxic epidermal necrolysis suggests that this 80-year-old man developed toxic epidermal necrolysis following the administration of cephalexin for a urinary tract infection.
authors.affiliation: University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hafermann
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Services, University of Colorado Hospital, Aurora, CO, USA; School of Pharmacy, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Gerard R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Barber
authors.affiliation: Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Practice, University of Colorado Hospital; School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Dreskin
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado Hospital, Aurora, CO, USA; Surgery-GI Tumor and Endocrine Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Gordon K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Lindberg
keywords: Stevens–Johnson syndrome; allergic reaction; drugs; rash