DRUG-INDUCED TOXIC EPIDERMAL NECROLYSIS (LYELL SYNDROME) IN PATIENTS INFECTED WITH THE HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS

Background: Although patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are predisposed to cutaneous adverse drug reactions, only a few cases of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) have been reported in this setting. Objective: Our purpose was to examine the features of T EN in HIV-infected patients. Methods: We performed a retrospective ana lysis of all HIV-infected patients in a series of 80 consecutive cases of TEN during a 6-year period. Results: Fourteen patients were HIV in fected. They had typical TEN, with epidermal detachment involving 20.6 % +/- 8.0% of the skin surface. Suspected drugs were sulfadiazine, tri methoprim-sulfamethoxazole, sulfadoxine, clindamycin, phenobarbital, a nd chlormeza-none. Patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrom e (AIDS) exhibit a dramatically increased risk of TEN. During our stud y period 15 cases of AIDS-associated TEN occurred in the greater Paris area, whereas 0.04 case would have been expected if the incidence of TEN were the same in these patients as in the general population. Conc lusion: HIV-infected patients, especially those with AIDS, may develop TEN that shares many similarities with the disease in immunocompetent patients.