Idiosyncratic Drug-Induced Liver Injury Associated With and Without Drug Reaction With Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Immunoallergic drug-induced liver injury (DILI) presenting with features of drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is a distinct phenotype. We describe the clinical characteristics, hepatitis pattern, severity, complications, and implicated medications in DILI patients with and without DRESS. METHODS: Using established criteria, we analyzed DILI registry patients with and without DRESS from 1998 to 2021. RESULTS: DILI associated with DRESS (DwD) comprised 179 among 943 cases (19%) of DILI. Compared with the cohort without DRESS, patients with DwD are more often women and have shorter latency, lesser degrees of injury ( P < 0.01), and lower mortality (7.8%) than those without DRESS (16%). Antiepileptic drugs (36%), sulfonamides (19%), antituberculosis drugs (14%), antibiotics (10%), and antiretroviral drugs (8%) account for 87% of the cases of DwD. DISCUSSION: A limited number of drugs cause DwD, representing a fifth of patients with DILI. DwD is characterized by lesser degrees of liver injury and mortality likely because of earlier presentation.