Reactions 1015 - 21 Aug 2004

■ In the latest Adverse Drug Reaction News fromSingapore, serious drug-induced skin reactions arediscussed. Overall, dermatological adverse drugreactions accounted for 46% of all adverse reactionsreported to Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority in2003, although most were nonserious reactions, suchas urticaria, erythema and rashes. However, betweenJanuary 1997 and May 2004, there were a significantnumber of serious reactions, with 35 reports of toxicepidermal necrolysis (TEN) and 111 of Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS). Patients involved were aged1–89 years, and most were females (n = 79). The topfive drugs suspected of causing TEN and SJS werecarbamazepine (n = 24), cotrimoxazole [trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole; 21], phenytoin (14), amoxicillin (12)and allopurinol (11).Serious drug-induced skin reactions. Adverse Drug Reaction News 6: 1 &5, No. 2, Jul 2004 800967278

1

Reactions 21 Aug 2004 No. 10150114-9954/10/1015-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved