quetiapine-fumarate and Exanthema

Drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS syndrome) is a rare systemic adverse drug reaction with a high mortality rate. Cases of DRESS syndrome have been reported with almost all classes of psychiatric medications, but data remains limited. We describe the case of a 33-year-old woman who presented with acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to severe pulmonary blastomycosis. Her hospital course was complicated by severe agitation for which the psychiatry consult team was involved and several medications were trialed including quetiapine. She developed a diffuse erythematous rash during her hospital stay and later eosinophilia and transaminitis consistent with DRESS syndrome due to either quetiapine or lansoprazole based on the timeline. Both medications were discontinued, and she was started on a prednisone taper leading to resolution of the rash, eosinophilia, and transaminitis. Her HHV-6 IgG titer later returned elevated at 1:1280. DRESS syndrome along with many other cutaneous drug reactions can be associated with psychiatric medications and familiarity and recognition are imperative. There are limited reports of quetiapine-associated DRESS syndrome in the literature; however, rash and eosinophilia should alert psychiatrists to the potential for quetiapine to be a precipitant for DRESS syndrome.

Topics: Adult; Drug Hypersensitivity Syndrome; Eosinophilia; Exanthema; Female; Humans; Quetiapine Fumarate

The aim of the present study was to survey adverse drug events (ADEs) in patients with bipolar disorders and identify risk factors using the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report (JADER) database, a spontaneous reporting system. Data on patients with bipolar disorders were extracted from the JADER database. The Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) preferred terms (PT) and standardized MedDRA queries (SMQ) were used to define ADEs. A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for ADEs. A total of 8653 reports of 1108 types of ADEs (PT) were registered in data collected on 3521 patients with bipolar disorders. Rash (PT) was the most frequently reported in 549 patients, followed by drug eruption (PT) in 387, fever (PT) in 364, toxicity to various agents (PT) in 291, and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (PT) in 261. Among 24 ADEs (PT) that were reported in more than 50 patients, lamotrigine was associated with increased risks of 13 ADEs (PT), followed by carbamazepine with increased risks of 8 ADEs (PT). The majority of these ADEs belonged to hypersensitivity (SMQ) or hepatic disorder (SMQ). Lithium carbonate was associated with increased risks of rash (PT), drug interaction (PT), and tubulointerstitial diseases (SMQ). All antipsychotics increased the adjusted odds ratio for neuroleptic malignant syndrome (PT). The risk of hyperglycemia/new onset diabetes mellitus (SMQ) was increased by olanzapine, quetiapine fumarate, and risperidone. We are presenting the profiles of ADEs in patients with bipolar disorders using the JADER database, and propose risk factors for 19 ADEs (PT) and 4 ADEs (SMQ).

Topics: Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems; Antipsychotic Agents; Bipolar Disorder; Carbamazepine; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Exanthema; Humans; Japan; Lamotrigine; Lithium Carbonate; Olanzapine; Quetiapine Fumarate; Risperidone