A Possible Type IV Hypersensitivity Reaction to Older Antiepileptic Drugs During and After Recovery from COVID-19 Infection

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Khosravi

To the EditorNearly two years after the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, healthcare workers face new and unexpected complications. Although accelerating the vaccination process in recent months has reduced the incidence and mortality of the COVID-19 infection, the general population (particularly vulnerable groups) remains at risk of new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants. Over the last two months, Iran has encountered the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, i. e., the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant of the SARS-CoV-2, with faster infectiousness and higher severity and mortality among hospitalized patients 1. Although fever, cough, and expectoration are the most common clinical features of COVID-19, recent studies have indicated an increasing number of skin manifestation reports in the disease. Besides, there is growing evidence that underlying SARS-CoV-2 infection may increase the risk of adverse drug reactions 2. However, the enduring concern in our medical centers in recent days is a raised incidence of Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) in recovered COVID-19 patients following monotherapy with older antiepileptic drugs (0.004 vs. 0.0008% – i. e., 5 times higher than the pre-COVID-19 period) 3. It is worth noting that these patients did not have any history of SJS/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) or additional etiopathogenic factors, including infections, genetic factors (particularly HLA-B*1502 allele), and malignancy. Furthermore, for many years before developing the COVID-19 and recovering from it, they had been treated with the above drugs without showing any cutaneous hypersensitivity reactions. These observational findings raise two important questions: (i) Could a history of the COVID-19 infection be a potential risk factor for type IV hypersensitivity reactions to older antiepileptic drugs? (ii) If so, what are its mechanisms of action?

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. e230144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Sameed ◽  
Christine Nwaiser ◽  
Prashant Bhandari ◽  
Sarah A Schmalzle

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are considered variants of a disease continuum that results in a life-threatening exfoliative mucocutaneous disease. These are categorised as type IV cell-mediated delayed hypersensitivity reactions, and antibiotics are often implicated as a cause. Penicillins and other beta-lactam antibiotics are known to cause both immediate and delayed hypersensitivity reactions. While immediate IgE-mediated cross-reactivity between penicillins and carbapenems is well studied, less information on the risk of type IV delayed cell-mediated cross-reactivity between the two is available. We present a case of meropenem-induced SJS in a patient with documented history of SJS from amoxicillin. There are few cases of cross-reactivity with carbapenems reported in the literature, but based on the potential for life-threatening reaction, it is likely prudent to avoid the use of any beta-lactams in a patient with a history of SJS, TEN or any other severe cutaneous adverse reactions to another beta-lactam antibiotic.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 730-738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adegbenro Omotuyi John Fakoya ◽  
Princess Omenyi ◽  
Precious Anthony ◽  
Favour Anthony ◽  
Precious Etti ◽  
...  

Stevens - Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis are adverse hypersensitivity reactions that affect the skin and mucous membranes. They are characterised by erythematous macules and hemorrhagic erosions of the mucous membranes. Epidermal detachments of varying degrees of severity also occur in these conditions. Various aetiologies are associated with these conditions, with adverse drug reaction being the most common. Though the worldwide incidence of these conditions is recorded as low, diverse types of medication are being observed to lead to these conditions. This review compiles information on the details of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, the pathophysiology, therapeutic management, and largely considers the drug-induced etiologies associated with these conditions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4-s) ◽  
pp. 220-222
Author(s):  
R Mahendra Kumar ◽  
Sanatkumar Nyamagoud ◽  
Krishna Deshpande ◽  
Ankitha Kotian

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a very rare, potentially fatal skin reaction that is typically the result of reaction to the drug. In particular, SJS is characterized by extensive skin and mucous membrane lesions (i.e. mouth, nose, esophagus, anus, and genitalia), epidermis detachment, and acute skin blisters. In 95 % of case reports, drugs were found to be an important cause for the development of SJS. This story is a case of A 42 year old male hospitalized with rashes all over the body and fever, after oral consumption of Amoxicillin drug for sore throat. This case study discusses the possibility that serious hypersensitivity reactions with Amoxicillin can rarely occur and can be extremely harmful and life-threatening Menacing. Keywords: Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, Stevens Johnson Syndrome, Adverse drug reaction, Nikolsky’s sign


2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 54
Author(s):  
Nur Moya Isyroqiyyah ◽  
Gatot Soegiarto ◽  
Yuani Setiawati

Drug hypersensitivity is defined as an untoward response to medication which is noxious and unintended, and which occurs at doses normally used in human either for the prophylaxis, diagnosis, or therapy of disease or for the modification of physiological function. Drug hypersensitivity is common and may cause emergency condition until death. The incidence of drug hypersensitivity-related hospitalizations has usually been assessed within hospitals. The aim of this study is to determine the profile of drug hypersensitivity patients hospitalized at Dr. Soetomo Hospital in 6 months period from January to June 2016. This study was a descriptive retrospective study on medical records of drug hypersensitivity patients hospitalized in Dr. Soetomo Hospital in 6 months period. The patient’s demographic data, the type of hypersensitivity reaction, and the final outcome of the hospitalization were collected. Within the 6 months period, there were 16 drug hypersensitivity patients hospitalized in Dr. Soetomo Hospital. Most of them are female (56.25%), and aged between 46-55 years (25%). There were 4 patients (25%) with type I hypersensitivity: urticaria, angioedema and anaphylaxis; while type IV hypersensitivity occured in 12 patients (75%): Stevens-Johnson syndrome, Stevens-Johnson syndrome-Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis overlap, erythroderma, maculopapular drug eruptions, and DRESS. Most of the patients (87.5%) had favorable outcome after hospitalization. There were 16 patients with drug hypersensitivity reaction hospitalized in Dr. Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya in 6 months period. Most of them were female and had type IV hypersensitivity reactions.


2001 ◽  
Vol 125 (12) ◽  
pp. 1585-1587
Author(s):  
Kathleen J. Smith ◽  
Juan Rosario-Collazo ◽  
Henry Skelton

Abstract Hirudin is one of the new synthetic antithrombin agents, which is most commonly used in patients with type II heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and in patients with hypersensitivity reactions to unfractionated heparin as well as low-molecular-weight heparins. Hirudin is comparable to heparin as an antithrombotic agent and also has been studied as a primary treatment in patients who experienced acute myocardial infarctions. We describe a patient with a history of type II heparin-induced thrombocytopenia who was placed on intravenous hirudin therapy. After extravasation of the intravenous hirudin site, the patient developed a delayed hypersensitivity reaction that histologically showed an epithelioid granulomatous infiltrate. Although rare reports of hypersensitivity reactions to hirudin have been published, these reactions have not been well characterized and the histopathologic changes have not been described.


1997 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 720-723 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie J Chaffin ◽  
Steven M Davis

OBJECTIVE: To describe a patient who developed toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) possibly secondary to lamotrigine use. CASE SUMMARY: A 74-year-old white man with a history of probable complex partial seizures was admitted to the neurology service for a prolonged postictal state. His antiepileptic regimen was changed while he was in the hospital to include lamotrigine. After 19 days of hospitalization and 14 days of lamotrigine therapy, the patient became febrile. The next day he developed a rash which progressed within 4 days to TEN, diagnosed by skin biopsy. All suspected drugs were discontinued, including lamotrigine. The patient was treated with hydrotherapy in the burn unit. His symptoms improved and he was discharged from the hospital 26 days after the rash developed. DISCUSSION: During lamotrigine's premarketing clinical trials, the manufacturer reported several cases of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and TEN. There are several published case reports of lamotrigine-induced severe skin reactions. All of these reports included patients being treated with both valproic acid and lamotrigine. Our patient was exposed to phenytoin, carbamazepine, clindamycin, and lamotrigine, but not valproic acid. The patient reported prior use of phenytoin with no skin rash. Carbamazepine was the antiepileptic drug the patient was maintained on prior to his hospital admission, and the symptoms of TEN resolved while he was still receiving carbamazepine. The patient received only two doses of clindamycin, which makes this agent an unlikely cause of TEN. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the temporal relationship of the onset of the patient's rash and several drugs that are known to cause severe rashes, it is not certain which drug was the definite culprit. However, based on the evidence from the literature, lamotrigine appears to be the causative agent.


2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andy C Hsi ◽  
Ilana S Rosman

Inflammatory dermatoses encompass a variety of histologic patterns that affect different portions of the skin. In spongiotic, psoriasiform, lichenoid, pityriasiform, and blistering disorders, there are predominately epidermal and junctional activities with variable superficial dermal inflammation. Hypersensitivity reactions can show either epidermal or mostly dermal changes depending on whether the exposure of the exogenous allergen occurs through an external or internal route, respectively. Exceptions include erythema multiforme and Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis, where the etiology is often due to infection or ingested medications, but the histologic features are almost exclusively confined to the epidermis and dermoepidermal junction. Autoimmune disorders are unique in that lesions typically incorporate a mixture of epidermal and dermal inflammatory patterns with periadnexal inflammation, while the vast majority of vasculitis/vasculopathy and alopecia have changes limited to only the vessels and hair follicles, respectively. It is critical to recognize that a relatively limited number of histologic patterns are seen in a large array of clinical entities. Therefore, clinicopathologic correlation and careful examination of histologic details are of the utmost importance when evaluating skin biopsies for inflammatory disorders.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 361-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Yoo ◽  
Brandon Carius

Prior exposure to poison ivy and poison oak, which are plants in the Anacardiacea family and contain high levels of urushiol, appear to be a risk factor for delayed hypersensitivity reactions to mango fruits. Cross-sensitization between these plants and mangos is believed to be secondary to an overlap in the urushiol antigen and 5-resorcinol, found predominately in mango peels. This unique combination of sensitization and reaction constitutes a type IV hypersensitivity response, mediated and driven by T cells reacting to similar antigens. We present a case of an otherwise healthy man, with a remote history of poison ivy exposure, who presented with a delayed but significant reaction to mango fruit. Obtaining the patient’s history of prior plant exposures and reactions was key to isolating the likely underlying causation of his presentation.


Author(s):  
Archana Dhengare ◽  
Ranjana Sharma ◽  
Sonali Waware ◽  
Pranali Wagh

Introduction: In 1922, two doctors, Albert Mason Stevens and Frank Johnson, examined purulent conjunctivitis.” Background: Stevens-Johnson syndrome was named after them as a result of their study. The incidence rate is 7 cases per million populations per year. Case Presentation: Master Yash Ghudam was brought to AVBRH by his parents with chief complaints of fever since 5 days and erythematous lesions all over body since 3 days. History of present illness: Patient was apparently alright 5 days back, and then he started having fever which was of high grade and was not associated with chills and rigor. Patient was treated on OPD basis and the symptoms of an unexplained disease in two young boys, aged 7 and 8, who had "an unusual, generalised eruption of continued fever, inflamed buccal mucosa, and extreme some antibiotic was given, but there was no relief, after 2 days there was ulcers formation inside the mouth for which some ointment and syrup becosule was started. But lesions were increasing. 3 days back the lesions first appeared on chest then got spread to legs and hands. For which patient was admitted in Chandrapur hospital from were the patient was referred to AVBRH for further management. Interventions: The patient was treated the patient was started on intravenous and orally Cortecosteroids, Omnacortil 10mg, Antibiotics- Inj. Ceftriaxone1gm IV 12 hourly [100mg/kg/day], inj. Amikacin 150mg IV 12 hourly [15mg/kg/day], Syp. Mucaine gel 2tsp BD – swish and swallow), Syp. Cital  2.5ml TDS, Tab. Chymoral Forte  TDS, Inj. Pantop 20mg IV 24 hourly (1mg/kg/dose). Pandya’s Formula: Syp. Gelusil 5ml, Syp. Benadryl 5ml, Syp. Omnacortil 5ml.  Skin allograft: It has been planned. Conclusion: In this study, we mainly focus on medical management and outstanding nursing care helped prevent farther complication. Overall, the patient's reaction was positive, though recovery time from Steven johnson syndrome varies from person to person, taking weeks, months, or even years. However, only a small number of people completely recover, while some have long-term consequences. She took a long time to get back on her feet.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document