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Background: Cutaneous drug reactions are the most common adverse reactions attributed to drugs. Any skin disorder can be imitated, induced or aggravated by drugs. Aims:The present study was carried out to determine the age, sex incidence and clinical pattern of drug eruptions, to recognize offending drugs (self medication or prescribed), to evaluate mortality and morbidity associated with drugs, to educate the patients, and to avoid self-administration of drugs and re-administration of the offending drugs. Methods: The diagnosis of cutaneous drug reactions is mainly based on detailed history and correlation between drug intake and the onset of rash. Two hundred patients (109 males and 91 females) present with cutaneous drug reactions were studied.Results: Fixed drug eruption was seen in 57 patients; other cases were; urticaria and angioedema in 34, morbilliform rash in 33, pruritus in 25, Stevens Johnson (SJ) syndrome in three, purpura in six, exfoliative dermatitis in five, photosensitivity in six, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis in one, acneiform eruption in eleven, and erythema multiforme in seven patients. The most frequently affected age group was 41-50 years, followed by the 21-30 and 31-40 years age groups. The youngest patient was one year old and the oldest was 80 years old. The period of development of lesions after the intake of drug(s) varies from 01-45 days. Cotrimoxazole was the offending drug in 28 (14%) of cases, followed by Ibuprofen in 22 (11%) of cases. Conclusions:Fixed drug eruption was the most common drug eruption seen. Cotrimoxazole was the most common cause of drug eruptions.

Adverse drug reaction --- cutaneous drug reaction --- drug eruption