Drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome/drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms severity score: A useful tool for assessing disease severity and predicting fatal cytomegalovirus disease

Abstract

Background: The prognosis of drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DiHS)/drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) is highly unpredictable. Severe complications, either related or unrelated to cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation, are a highly probable cause of death.

Objectives: The aim was to establish a scoring system for DiHS/DRESS that can be used to monitor severity, predict prognosis, and stratify the risk of developing CMV disease and complications.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 55 patients with DiHS/DRESS was performed. A composite score was created using clinical data. DiHS/DRESS patients were also stratified into 3 groups based on the scores to predict the risk of CMV reactivation and complications.

Results: This scoring system made it possible to predict CMV disease and complications. Scores ≥4 were associated with the later development of CMV disease and complications, while no patients with scores <4 developed complications.

Limitations: This was a single-institution study with a relatively small patient cohort that lacked a validation cohort.

Conclusions: Our scoring system may be useful for predicting CMV-related complications, and early intervention with anti-CMV agents should be considered in patients with scores ≥4 or with evidence of CMV reactivation.

Keywords: CMV reactivation; disease severity; drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DiHS)/drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS); prognosis; scoring system.