Abstract :
The purpose of this study was to assess the common clinical presentations of fixed drug eruption (FDE) among Iraqi patients. This is a multicenter cross-sectional descriptive study. One hundred and sixty patients who had FDE were seen in the Departments of Dermatology and Venereology at Al-Saddir Teaching Hospital and Ibn-Sena Teaching Hospital, Iraq, during the period from Oct. 2017 to Oct. 2018. A full history and clinical examinations were done for every patient. An oral provocation test was done for some patients. A skin biopsy was done for some patients to confirm the diagnosis. The age of the patients was 37.2 ± 16 years. The male-to-female ratio was 1.2:1. Most of our patients presented during the first week of rash appearance as they constituted 77.5% of patients. The shortest time of presentation after taking the causative medications was 30 minutes, whereas the longest duration from taking the insult medication was within two weeks. Multiple lesions were encountered in 76% of the patients and the upper extremities were the most frequently affected area in 26% of the patients. The most common morphological presentation in a patient with FDE was patches 49% and erosive type 17%. Itching was the most common symptom suffered by 42% of patients. The most common culprit agent of FDE was co-trimoxazole 47.5%. FDE is a common cutaneous disorder seen in dermatological outpatient clinics. Recurrent multiple patchy and erosive lesions are the commonest clinical presentation. The upper extremities are the most anatomical sites affected by FDE. Pruritus is the most commonest associated symptom.