Journal List > Allergy Asthma Respir Dis > v.4(4) > 1059198

Han, Hong, Kim, Kim, Park, Kim, and Jee: Methazolamide-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis confirmed by lymphocyte activation test

Abstract

Among various dermatological entities, toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a rare but potentially fatal delayed hypersensitivity reaction to numerous medications. A 38-year-old male presented with systemic hypersensitivity reaction, such as high fever, pain in the eyes, and diffuse pruritic erythematous maculopapular eruptions with multiple targetoid plaques that became vesicular and bullous. Oral mucosa and conjunctivae were involved. The first sign appeared about 1 week after taking methazolamide (50 mg twice a day) for the management of glaucomatous eyes. Although methazolamide was discontinued, blistering and skin denudation progressed to affect up to 80% of the body surface area and a positive Nikolsky sign was noted. High fever also persisted. Skin lesions started to improve after 2 weeks of management and fever subsided. Cutaneous lesions improved with minimal permanent sequele 2 months later. HLA-B*5901 was found by high-resolution genotyping. The lymphocyte activation test performed 6 months after remission showed a positive response to methazolamide challenge. This is the first case of methazolamide-induced TEN in which methazolamide was confirmed as a culprit drug by the lymphocyte activation test.

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

Skin lesion. Diffuse pruritic erythematous maculopapular eruption with multiple targetoid plaques which became vesicular and bullous and involved oral mucosa and conjunctivae. Skin denudation progressed to affecting up to 80% of the body surface area and a positive Nikolsky sign was noted.

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Fig. 2

Lymphocyte activation test. Proliferative responses were calculated as stimulation index (SI; counts per minute [cpm] in drug-treated cells/cpm in mock-treated cells) or expressed as unprocessed cpm values. Phytohemagglutinin (5 µg/mL) and medium alone served as positive and negative controls, respectively.

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Young-Koo Jee
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5800-8038

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