HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTION TO AZATHIOPRINE

Adverse drug reactions can vary from a simple rash to anaphylactic sho ck. While certain medications including the penicillins are well known to cause such reactions, other drugs are not as commonly recognized. Azathioprine hypersensitivity reactions tend to be benign and self-lim iting with cessation of drug ingestion. We report a patient who had a hypersensitivity reaction to azathioprine, which manifested as distrib utive shock that mimicked sepsis. We also reviewed the English languag e literature for risk factors for a hypersensitivity reaction to azath ioprine and its possible mechanism.