32. Cutaneous Skin Reactions Flashcards
Dx?
Erythema Multiforme
Viral infections that cause Erythema Multiforme
HSV (50%)
Mycoplasms
Other viral
Drugs that cause Erythema Multiform
less then 10%
NSAIDs
Sulftas
Antipileptics
Antibiotics
What clinical features do I see with Erythema Multiform?
Arise after the HSV lesions have crusted and formed
See abrupt onset of target lesions
Common on hands, feet, and acral
Prodrome is rare and non-toxic
What the heck is this?
Oral involvment of Erythema Multiforme
Recommended tx for this patient?
suspect Erytherma Multiforme
Tx with topical steriods and pain managment if mild
If severe mucosal involvment prednisone is option (controversial) and get consult with opthomology!
42 yo woman presents with eruption for one day… started off as small macules on the chest and over the course of the day has worsended to most of her body.
Rahs is itchy and painful. Pt has hx of bipolar and started lamotrigine 2 weeks ago with no know drug allergies.
NO facial edema or lymphadenopahty. Dx?
Exanthematous Drug Eruption
Describe what Exanthematous drug eruption looks like
innumerable pink
macules coalescing into
patches on the head, trunk,
and extremities.
Most common Drug reaction:
Occurs mostly with what types of drugs:
• AKA morbilliform drug rash
• Most common drug reaction
– Can occur with any drug
– Most common: antibiotics, anticonvulsants
What type of hypersensitivity is Exanthematous Drug Eruption?
• Idiosyncratic delayed (type IV) immune
reaction
Clinical Feature of Exanthematous Drug Eruption
Color/characteristic
Location
Other signs:
• Numerous pink macules and barely palpable
papules
• Starts on the face and trunk, then spreads to
extremities
• Pruritic
• Fever and mucosal involvement are typically
absent
What is the Course of Disease for Exanthematous Drug Eruption?
Onset
– 2-14 days after starting medication
– Subsequent occurrences have faster onset
– Can start even after finishing treatment (e.g.
antibiotic)
Patient started new drug about a week ago. Now presentes with numerous pink macules and barely palpable paplues. Started on her face and trunk and spread to extemeties. It is itchy with a lack of mucosal involvement and no fever. What is the recommended tx for patient?
Exanthematous Drug eruption
Discontinue culprit drug if possible
• Supportive care for pruritus
– Oral antihistamines
– Topical corticosteroids
• Resolution
– Spontaneously resolves in 1-2 weeks
– Can resolve even with continuation of drug
The rash is itchy but not painful. She has had fever up to 38.9°C. She has a history of bipolar disorder and was started on lamotrigine 4 weeks ago. She has no known drug allergies. facial edema and bilateral cervical
lymphadenopathy on exam. She has innumerable pink macules coalescing into patches on the head, trunk, and extremities. Dx?
DRESS
What labs do we expect to see in patient with DRESS?
CBC: (2 things)
Liver Panel: (3)
Blood urea nitrogen and creatinine: (1)
– WBC normal
• 15% eosinophils (↑)
– H/H and platelets normal
• Liver panel
– AST 126 (↑) and ALT 208 (↑)
– Alk phos and bilirubin normal
• Blood urea nitrogen and creatinine normal
How is DRESS different then Exanthematous Drug Eruption
Type IV hypersensitivity
• More common in adults
• Later onset 2-8 weeks after drug initiation
Most common medications that cause DRESS
– Anti-epileptics
– Sulfonamides
– Minocycline
– Allopurinol
– Anti-retrovirals
What clinical features do we look for in a patient with DRESS?
Cutaneous involvement
– Most commonly morbilliform
– Other cutaneous patterns sometimes seen
• Facial edema
• Lymphadenopathy
• Fever
Common organ involvement in DRESS
Most common organs involved
– Liver: elevated transaminases
– Hematologic: eosinophilia, atypical lymphocytes
– Kidney: mild nephritis
If a pt has liver involvment in their DRESS, what would we expect to see clinically?
Morbilliform eruption with ascites
and jaundice from liver
involvement.
Recommended Tx for mild DRESS
• Identify and stop the culprit drug
• Mild cases treated with supportive care
– Topical corticosteroids
– Oral antihistamines
Recommended tx for severe DRESS?
Severe cases
– Systemic corticosteroids
– May require hospitalization
Long term affects we can see with DRESS
• Autoimmune diseases may develop later
– Autoimmune thyroiditis
– Diabetes mellitus
– Autoimmune hemolytic anemia
Pt has DRESS and wants to know if this is really serious as well as how long it will take to get better.. What should we tell them to expect?
- 10% mortality rate despite treatment
- Slow resolution over weeks or months
28-year-old man presents with a skin eruption that started yesterday and has progressively worsened to cover most of his body. The lesions seem to be coming and going and changing shape. He had URI symptoms starting 3 days ago and has been taking phenylephrine for nasal congestion and dextromethorphan for cough suppression. He has no known food allergies, but he did eat shrimp for dinner 4 nights ago. DX
Uticaria
Pathology of Uticaria
What chemokines are involved? What type of hypersensitivity is it?
– Release of histamine, bradykinin, leukotriene C4,
prostaglandin D2, and other vasoactive substances
from mast cells and basophils
– Most commonly type I IgE-mediated
Most case of Uticaria are:
idiopathic
• Most commonly identified cause is URI
• Other causes
– Other infections
– Drug allergies
– Food allergies
Classic lesion in uticaria is a:
How long will it last?
wheal
• Individual lesions last
• Very pruritic
• Can last up to 6 weeks
Oh god… What has happened to this patient??
Angioedema
—Anaphyalaxsis; can see shortness of breath, uticaria, lightheaded and confusion, wheezing and shortness of breath, stridor, fast or slow HR
A 55-year-old woman complains of a rash on her body starting this
morning. She also has noticed ulcers on her lips and oral mucosa. Prior to the start of the rash, she had 4 days of fever and flu-like symptoms. Dx
Steven Johnson Syndrome
SJS is what type of reaction?
Hyersensitivity
What tx would you recommend for this pt?
SJS:
Requires inpatient hospital care with
multidisciplinary approach
• Discontinue drugs
• Maintain fluid and electrolyte balance
• Pain management
• Medical therapy controversial
– Systemic corticosteroids
– IVIG
If we see this in leukocytosis vasculitis, what are we concerned with?
• Systemic involvement may be present
– Fever
– Joint pain and swelling
– GI bleeding
– Renal involvement
– Cardiopulmonary involvement
Pt presets with palpable purpura on her legs that itch. There are some neutrophils and inflammatory cells surrounding blood vessels
Treat underlying cause if present
• Supportive care for mild cases
– Rest and elevation
– Analgesicsp
Pt has this purpura rash for the past two months that is painful. Dx and Treatement?
Good prognosis if skin-limited
– Self-resolves in most
– Chronic relapsing course in some
• Can be potentially fatal if systemic
involvement
4 year old boy with cutaneous eruption for the past 3 days. Started on the legs and buttocks and has spread to the face and trunk. Mildly itchy.
Henoch-Schonlein Purpura
Inflammation around and thrombi within the vessels and Neutrophils and
neutrophilic debris
Henoch-Schonlein Purpura
palpable purpura on buttocks and legs and recently has a strep A infection… What is the tx?
Treatment
– Supportive care for pruritus
• Oral antihistamines
• Topical corticosteroids
– NSAIDs for pain
– Prednisone for severe cases
