INTRODUCTION: Every adverse and undesirable event observed after administration of the therapeutic dose of the drug is defined as adverse drug reaction. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence frequency of cutaneous adverse drug reactions, to define the drugs inducing such reactions and to define the type of the most frequently found lesions in patients admitted to Department of Dermatology and Venereology of Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin (PAM) in 1996-2006. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of medical files of the patients, who were hospitalized in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology of PAM in Szczecin in 1996-2006, was carried out. Due to cutaneous adverse drug reactions, 386 patients were hospitalized. They made 4.25% of all admitted to our Department. RESULTS: These reactions were found more frequently in females (65.5%) than in males (34.5%). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs induced adverse events most frequently (37.6%), followed by aminopenicillin antibiotics, particularly amoxycillin-containing agents, responsible for 25.8% of these reactions. Other antibiotics were responsible for undesirable events less frequently--9.6%. Macular and maculopapular rashes were the most frequently observed adverse cutaneous drug reactions (42.0% of the cases), followed by acute urticaria and Quincke's oedema (39.1% of all reactions), whereas contact dermatitis after topical drugs was found in 8.0% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: Cutaneous adverse drug reactions were mainly induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and aminopenicillin antibiotics. The most frequent forms of cutaneous adverse drug reactions were maculopapular rashes, acute urticaria and Quincke's oedema.
INTRODUCTION: Every adverse and undesirable event observed after administration of the therapeutic dose of the drug is defined as adverse drug reaction. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence frequency of cutaneous adverse drug reactions, to define the drugs inducing such reactions and to define the type of the most frequently found lesions in patients admitted to Department of Dermatology and Venereology of Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin (PAM) in 1996-2006. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of medical files of the patients, who were hospitalized in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology of PAM in Szczecin in 1996-2006, was carried out. Due to cutaneous adverse drug reactions, 386 patients were hospitalized. They made 4.25% of all admitted to our Department. RESULTS: These reactions were found more frequently in females (65.5%) than in males (34.5%). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs induced adverse events most frequently (37.6%), followed by aminopenicillin antibiotics, particularly amoxycillin-containing agents, responsible for 25.8% of these reactions. Other antibiotics were responsible for undesirable events less frequently--9.6%. Macular and maculopapular rashes were the most frequently observed adverse cutaneous drug reactions (42.0% of the cases), followed by acute urticaria and Quincke's oedema (39.1% of all reactions), whereas contact dermatitis after topical drugs was found in 8.0% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: Cutaneous adverse drug reactions were mainly induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and aminopenicillin antibiotics. The most frequent forms of cutaneous adverse drug reactions were maculopapular rashes, acute urticaria and Quincke's oedema.