Def .: One of the more severe cutaneous drug reactions of various etiology, which is a generalized inflammation of the skin.
Etiol .: Drugs used generally and locally: antibiotics – penicillin, ampicillin, sulfonamides, antimalarials, salicylates, heavy metal salts, tranquilizers, barbituric acid derivatives; less often – isoniazid, streptomycin, griseofulvin, hydantoin, captopril, cimetidine.
Clinical: Many weeks after the start of therapy, a blotchy rash appears on the skin which merges into erythroderma. The skin is deeply red, very profusely, it peels off almost the entire surface in lobes, and becomes thickened with time. If erythroderma continues for some time, it leads to hypothermia, dehydration, and fluid and electrolyte disturbances. The basic metabolism increases, hypoalbuminemia occurs, the level of iron and folic acid decrease (anemia). There are cardiovascular, renal and hepatic complications, gastrointestinal bleeding and venous clots.
But: Significant improvement when disease-causing drug is identified and discontinued. However, symptoms of the disease may persist for several weeks.
Lit.: [1] Rothe M.J., Bernstein M.L., Grant-Kels J.M.: Life-threatening erythoderma: diagnosis and treating the „red man”. Clin Dermatol 2005, 23 (2); 206-17.
Source: A. Kaszuba, Z. Adamski: “Lexicon of dermatology”; XNUMXst edition, Czelej Publishing House