A Clinical and Histopathologic Study of Thirteen Cases of Phenytoin Induced Drug Eruption

Shin, Ki Shik; Park, Ki Beom; Cho, Kwang Hyun; Lee, Yoo Shin

Abstract

The study comprises 13 cases of phenytoin induced drug eruption admitted and treated at Seoul National University Hospital during a 6-year period (1981-1986). The summaries are as follows : 1. The skin lesions were usually pruritic morbilliform maculopapular eruptions on face, trunk, extremites, including palms and soles. However, erythema multiform was observed in one case. 2. Hiistopathologically, the dermis showed perivascular accumulation of mononuclear cells with occasional eosinophils. In some cases, the epidermis showed vacuolar alteration of basaI layer, necrotic keratinocyte with dermal perivascular mononuclear cell infiltrations. 3. The frequencies of the associated features were as follows : fever(61.5%), lymphadenopathy(23.1%), leukocytosis(45.5%), esinophilia(72.7%), and liver function abnormalities(63.6%)