Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions in a tertiary care hospital with perspectives on pharmacogenomics and personalised medicine

Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions (SCAR) are life-threatening adverse drug reactions (ADRs) associated with the systemic administration of various medications. Prompt identification and withdrawal of the causative drug, followed by a multidisciplinary mode of management, is essential to prevent morbidity and various complications of SCARs. The presence of certain human leucocyte antigens or genetic variants is associated with an increased risk of the development of SCARs. Knowledge of these genetic variations will go a long way in preventing these reactions. This is a retrospective case series based on SCARs reported to a regional ADR monitoring centre over a period of 1 year, with a relevant review of literature. This case series discusses the risk factors associated with SCARs and the role of personalised medicine in identifying the associated factors and preventing morbidity and mortality from SCARs.