Chapter 22 - Drug Reactions Flashcards
This substance, which is often used by dermatologists to treat erythema nodosum and sporotrichosis, can cause halogenoderma.
Saturated solution of potassium idodide (SSKI)
*Note: “KI” is the chemical abbreviation for potassium idodide
What inflammatory infiltrate is typically present in halogenoderma?
Neutrophilic
This neutrophilic drug reaction, which is often confused with Sweet’s syndrome, is likely due to a toxin insult to the eccrine glands.
Neutrophilic eccrine hydradenitis (NEH)
*Note: NEH is most commonly seen in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia receiving cytarabine
Activation of which two viruses might be linked to the pathogenesis of DRESS?
HHV 6 and HHV7
True or false: facial edema is a characteristic feature of DRESS.
True
What is the most common cause of mortality associated with DRESS?
Fulminant liver failure
What is the first-line therapy for DRESS?
Systemic steroids (topical steroids can be used alone in mild cases)
Fixed drug eruptions (FDE) can occur anywhere on the body, however certain sites are more commonly involved. These include:
The lips, face, hands, feet, and genitalia
What drug most commonly causes the non-pigmented variant of FDE?
Pseudoephedrine
What drugs are most commonly implicated in FDEs?
Sulfonamides, NSAIDs, barbiturates, tetracyclines, and carbamazepine
What drug is most commonly associated with drug-induced linear IgA bullous disease? What group of drugs is next most commonly associated?
- Vancomycin
- Beta lactam antibiotics
True or false: pseudolymphoma (i.e. drug induced lymphoma) tends to have a biologically aggressive course, and typically meets the diagnostic criteria for Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
False; it has a benign biological behavior and does not satisfy the criteria for non-Hodgkin lymphoma
*Note: complete recovery typically occurs several weeks after withdrawing the drug
**Note: pseudolymphoma can simulate either a T- or B-cell lymphoma.
True or false: DRESS often recurs when the systemic steroid used to treat it is withdrawn. Thus, a long slow taper is typically necessary.
True
True or false: drug-induced alopecia always causes anagen effluvium.
False; it can produce either telogen or anagen effluvium
Do chemotherapy drugs cause an anagen or telogen effluvium?
Anagen effluvium
* This explains the more rapid onset of alopecia that typically occurs with chemotherapy (anagen effluvium occurs within 2-3 weeks of drug exposure, while telogen effluvium occurs within 2-4 months of drug exposure)
True or false: anti-convulsants, beta-blockers, lithium, and retinoids can all cause telogen effluvium.
True!
Other than chemotherapy drugs, list three other drugs that can cause an anagen effluvium.
*This is a tough one!
Bismuth, gold, and thallium
True or false: it’s a myth that patients with straight hair can sometimes regrow curly hair after chemotherapy.
False! This is not a myth. Sometimes patients with straight hair can regrow curly hair.