Clinical study of cutaneous drug reactions in 80 patients

Eighty patients (46 males, 34 females) with cutaneous drug eruption were studied. Maculopapular rash was the commonest reaction seen in 46 cases, others being purpuro in 7, acneiform in 6, SJS/ TEN in 5, FIDE in 5, EM in 3, exfoliative dermatitis in 2, AEGP in 2, pustular and eczematous reaction in one each. Majority of the patients were in 21-30 year age group, the youngest being 3 years and the oldest 76 years. The incriminated drugs were NSAIDS in 28, antipsychotics in 26, antibiotics in 24, antileprotics / antitubercular in 8, steroids in 5, antimitotics in 4 and cardiac drugs in 3 cases. Histopathologicol features were compatible with the clinical lesions in most of the cases. The commonest immunoreactant in direct immunofluorescence was C3 and fibrin.