DRESS Syndrome After Phenytoin Use: A Case Report

Abstract

DRESS syndrome is alife threatening, rare hypersensitivity reaction to drugs with an acute onset that is characterized by fever, skin rash, visceral involvement, and hematological abnormalities. It is often seen after the use of aromatic anticonvulsants. In this article, a forty-four year old male patient with fever and skin rash after two weeks of phenytoin administration is discussed. He has been treated successfully with systemic corticosteroids and supportive therapy after the discontinuation of phenytoin therapy. In first step health-care, the primary physician should be able to administer his patients’ acute and chronic health problems concurrently. As in our case, a family physician should administer his patient well in the presence of fever with acute onset and he should question about the drugs used in the presence of accompanying skin rash.