Severe Drug Reactions with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms: A Herpesvirus Connection?

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is classified as a potentially serious cutaneous adverse reaction (SCAR) and is often studied along with toxic epidermal necrolysis. The severity of DRESS varies from a relatively transient phenomenon quickly reversed by drug cessation to a life-threatening disorder. Timely identification of severe DRESS might result in earlier intervention and might alter prognosis.

These authors identified 15 patients who had severe DRESS over a 12-year period. They defined severe DRESS as a reaction that required admission to an intensive care unit or resulted in death. The drugs associated with severe DRESS in these patients did not differ from drugs known to be associated with less-severe cas…