OBJECTIVE: To report a case of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) in a man who was treated with oral norfloxacin for prostatitis. CASE SUMMARY: A 40-year-old man presented with a severe skin reaction, which was diagnosed as TEN. He had received norfloxacin 800 mg/day over a 14-day period for prostatitis and, 10 days after finishing the treatment regimen, he developed cutaneous and mucous lesions typical of TEN. After a prolonged hospitalization and treatment with oral prednisolone therapy, fluid resuscitation, and wound dressing, the man recovered. DISCUSSION: TEN is an infrequent, yet often fatal, severe systemic and cutaneous disease that is most often an adverse drug reaction. There are few case reports of TEN induced by fluoroquinolones. A MEDLINE search (1966-February 2005) revealed no reports of toxic epidermal necrolysis, but one incidence of Stevens-Johnson syndrome due to norfloxacin therapy. An objective causality assessment suggests that TEN was probably related to norfloxacin in this patient. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first case of TEN associated with the use of oral norfloxacin. We hope that this case report creates awareness that norfloxacin-induced TEN is possible.
OBJECTIVE: To report a case of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) in a man who was treated with oral norfloxacin for prostatitis. CASE SUMMARY: A 40-year-old man presented with a severe skin reaction, which was diagnosed as TEN. He had received norfloxacin 800 mg/day over a 14-day period for prostatitis and, 10 days after finishing the treatment regimen, he developed cutaneous and mucous lesions typical of TEN. After a prolonged hospitalization and treatment with oral prednisolone therapy, fluid resuscitation, and wound dressing, the man recovered. DISCUSSION: TEN is an infrequent, yet often fatal, severe systemic and cutaneous disease that is most often an adverse drug reaction. There are few case reports of TEN induced by fluoroquinolones. A MEDLINE search (1966-February 2005) revealed no reports of toxic epidermal necrolysis, but one incidence of Stevens-Johnson syndrome due to norfloxacin therapy. An objective causality assessment suggests that TEN was probably related to norfloxacin in this patient. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first case of TEN associated with the use of oral norfloxacin. We hope that this case report creates awareness that norfloxacin-induced TEN is possible.