Abstract
Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are unexpected reactions to a medication administered in a correct way at a standard dose. Drug-induced skin reactions account for 60–70% of all ADRs. The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of antibiotic-related dermatological ADR in patients treated in the department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology of the University Clinical Center in Gdańsk, Poland, in the years 2004–2021. A retrospective analysis of patients’ medical files was conducted in order to identify cases of ADR connected with the use of antibiotics, yielding 84 cases. The most common group of antibiotics were β-lactam, causing ADR in 47 patients. β-lactam antibiotics in our study included amoxicillin, alone and combined with clavulanic acid, and cephalosporins, affecting 22, 18 and 7 patients, respectively. In conclusion, β-lactam antibiotics showed the highest prevalence among antibiotic-induced skin reactions. They accounted for 15% of cases of all dermatological drug reactions and 55% of those caused by antibiotics. Especially amoxicillin, prescribed as a single drug or in combination with clavulanic acid, was commonly the culprit. Due to its wide use in the hospital and outpatient clinic, these adverse reactions have to be kept in mind by both hospital staff and general practitioners.
Highlights
Based on the definition created by the World Health Organization, an adverse drug reaction (ADR) is “a response to a drug which is noxious and unintended, and which occurs at doses normally used in man for the prophylaxis, diagnosis, or therapy of disease, or for the modifications of physiological function” [1]
Among all admissions of patients to the department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology of the University Clinical Center in Gdańsk, Poland, in the years 2004–2021, 84 cases were linked to the use of drugs classified as antibiotics
The following antibiotics were determined to be causative agents in our set of patients: the group of penicillins, represented by amoxicillin prescribed as a sole agent or combined with clavulanic acid, cephalosporins of 2nd and 3rd generation, cefuroxime and ceftriaxone, respectively, the group of lincosamides, including agents such as lincomycin or clindamycin and tetracyclines
Summary
Based on the definition created by the World Health Organization, an adverse drug reaction (ADR) is “a response to a drug which is noxious and unintended, and which occurs at doses normally used in man for the prophylaxis, diagnosis, or therapy of disease, or for the modifications of physiological function” [1]. Cutaneous adverse drug reactions can be divided into those not posing a threat to the life of the affected individual and life-threatening reactions. The former manifest as a large variety of skin reactions such as rashes, including a morbilliform rash, urticaria, fixed drug eruption, purpura, or vasculitis [3]. Not seldom the clinical picture is enough for physicians to establish the diagnosis of a cutaneous adverse drug reaction. It is often the patients themselves who link the occurrence of their skin reactions with the intake of a certain drug or change in their medication regimen, such as the addition of a new pharmacological agent or change of its dose.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call