Unveiling DRESS Syndrome: An Insight into Drug-Induced Allergic Reactions

DRESS Syndrome Demystified

• DRESS Syndrome, also known as Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DIHS), emerges as a specific form of drug allergy, triggered by a wide spectrum of medications. Its onset, spanning 2 to 8 weeks after commencing the implicated drug, manifests an array of clinical symptoms.

Symptomatic Complexity

• Patients grappling with DRESS Syndrome typically exhibit telltale signs such as a rash, fever, and increased eosinophil levels. However, the syndrome’s impact transcends these common symptoms, often extending to complications affecting vital organs like the liver, lungs, or kidneys.
• Notably, conditions like hepatitis, pneumonitis, myocarditis, pericarditis, nephritis, and colitis contribute significantly to the syndrome’s severity and mortality rates.

Approaches to Treatment

• Managing DRESS Syndrome involves a crucial initial step: discontinuing the medication responsible for the adverse reaction.
• Treatment primarily revolves around providing supportive and symptomatic care, with corticosteroids frequently prescribed. In certain instances, immunosuppressants such as cyclosporine form part of the therapeutic regimen.

The Role of the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC)

• As an autonomous body operating under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India, the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) stands as the guardian of drug standards in the nation.
• Its core responsibilities encompass the regular update of drug standards aligned with prevalent diseases through publications like the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) and the National Formulary of India.
• Furthermore, the commission plays a pivotal role in ensuring the quality, identity, purity, and potency of drugs essential for healthcare, both in humans and animals.
• This is facilitated through the provision of IP Reference Substances (IPRS), acting as distinctive identifiers to assess the purity of tested articles, as specified in the IP guidelines.