ERYTHEMA EXSUDATIVUM MULTIFORME MAJUS IN THE EARLY STAGES OF DETOXIFICATION OF AN ADDICT

A 44-year-old addict subject to the effects of multiple drug abuse of long standing and suffering from severe burns on his left hand was hos pitalized for detoxification. The bums were treated with sulfadiazine ointment, the patient was given eight different pharmacological substa nces in total, with clonidine and clonazepam among them against withdr awal symptoms and carbamazepine for the prevention of seizures resulti ng from withdrawal. Within three days an Erythema exsudativum multifor me majus developed which disappeared completely due to the treatment w ith steroids and electrolytes. In all probability carbamazepine was th e decisive factor among the various drugs administered to the patient. Addicts prone to seizures that occurred more than one year ago should be treated with drugs that both relieve withdrawal symptoms and preve nt seizures. In order to assess the risk of severe skin reaction and t o reduce the possibility of seizures benzodiazepines should be preferr ed to carbamazepine.