DRESS (Drug Rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms) syndrome: description of two cases after administration of carbamazepine and sulfasalazine.

Introduction. - To better individualize drug hypersensitivity reaction, Boc quet et al. have recently called this adverse drug reaction DRESS (Drug Ras h with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms). Exegesis. - We report two cases of DRESS and highlight the main characteris tics of this syndrome. Two patients presented severe febrile skin eruption following drug intake (carbamazepine or sulfazalazine), with hypereosinophi lia and hepatitis. All symptoms resolved after drug withdrawal and corticos teroid therapy. DRESS syndrome is an idiosyncratic reaction characterised b y febrile eruption, occurring 2 to 6 weeks after the beginning of the treat ment, accompanied by systemic symptoms and biological abnormalities (hypere osinophilia, hepatitis). Some complications can occur. This syndrome can be fatal. Numerous drugs can be responsible for this reaction to medication. The physiopathology has not yet been elucidated and the treatment is not co dified, but the triggering agent must immediately be stopped Corticotherapy is sometimes used. Conclusion. - It is important to recognize this entity recently named DRESS syndrome because it can mimic other pathologies, is potentially serious, a nd because withdrawal of the incriminating drug is imperative. (C) 2001 Edi tions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.