DOI: 10.36347/sasjm

Pages: 154-157

Since time immemorial, medications of various kinds have been used by physicians with the noble intention of curing the sufferer of his ailments. Yet, paradoxically, this well-meaning intention may become the nemesis of many a sufferer. With the increase in number of drugs & HIV prevalence, adverse drug reactions have became common and cutaneous drug reactions constitute a major proportion. A clinico-epidemiologica study was undertaken in the department of Dermatology, Venerology & Leprosy, Siddhartha medical college, Vijayawada to know the incidence, the clinical patterns of drug eruptions, the common drugs implicated and casuality assessment. Incidence of various cutaneous adverse drug reactions found to be 4.6 per thousand. Most of the reactions occurred in the age group 21-40yrs.Most common morphological types of cutaneous ADRs are maculopapular rash (28%) followed by fixed drug eruptions (25%) and exfoliative dermatitis(9.3%). Severe adverse reactions like SJS, TEN, DHS occurred in 19 cases (12%). The major incriminating drugs are Antibiotics(31.4%, mainly ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxizole) followed by Antiretrovirals (25%, mainly nevirapine), NSAIDS (15%, mainly diclofenac) and Antiepileptics (12% mainly phenytoin, carbamazepine).HIV positivity found in 31% cases and in them maculopapular rash was common,is mostly caused by nevirapine. In HIV negative patients (69% cases) FDE and MP rash were common and are due to antibiotics and NSAIDS. Degree of certainty of a CADR was found to be definite in 14 cases, probable in 119 cases and possible in 19 cases according to WHO –UMC criteria. Cutaneous adverse drug reactions pose considerable amount of diagnostic challenges. Maculopapular rashes and fixed drug eruptions are the most common morphological types with antimicrobials and antiretroviral drugs being the main culprits