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Case Report

 

Multidrug-Induced Erythema Multiforme

 

SR Isik,1 G Karakaya,1 G Erkin,2 AF Kalyoncu,1

1Department of Chest Diseases, Adult Allergy Unit, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey
2Department of Dermatology, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey

J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2007; Vol. 17(3): 196-198

 

 Abstract


Adverse skin reactions to drugs are frequent, with rates of reaction to many commonly used drugs exceeding 1%. We describe a 29-year-old woman admitted with a history of itching, rash, vesicles on her hands and soles, and edema on her tongue and oropharynx aftertrimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin, methenamine anhydromethylene citrate, piroxicam, azithromycin, and ceftriaxone intake.
Erythema multiforme (EM) was diagnosed by skin biopsy after oral challenge with piroxicam. EM lesions reappeared after oral challenge with levofloxacin. Although EM is quite common with trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole and there are some reports of EM appearing after intake of ciprofloxacin, it has rarely been attributed to piroxicam and no reports have identifi ed levofloxacin as a cause.

Key words: Erythema multiforme. Drug allergy. Analgesic intolerance. Ciprofl xacin. Piroxicam. Levofl xacin. Trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole. Bronchoscopy.