Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis During Dronedarone Treatment: First Report of a Severe Serious Adverse Event Of A New Antiarrhythmic Drug

Cardiovasc Toxicol. 2015 Oct;15(4):399-401. doi: 10.1007/s12012-014-9303-x.

Abstract

A 77-year-old female patient with symptomatic atrial fibrillation with fast ventricular rate despite conventional antiarrhythmic therapy was treated with dronedarone. Five days later, she developed a maculopapulous exanthema and small flaccid blisters, which spread over the common integument predominantly located on the dorsal trunk. Over few days, the patient showed a severe epidermal necrolysis of approximately 30 % of the body area and ultimately died in multiorgan failure. Here, we report a rare case of toxic epidermal necrolysis during treatment with dronedarone leading to patient death.

Keywords: Dronedarone; Erythema multiforme; Mucosal ulcerations; Stevens–Johnson syndrome; Tachyarrhythmia absoluta; Toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Amiodarone / adverse effects
  • Amiodarone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / adverse effects*
  • Atrial Fibrillation / diagnosis
  • Atrial Fibrillation / drug therapy*
  • Atrial Fibrillation / physiopathology
  • Biopsy
  • Dronedarone
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Heart Rate / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Multiple Organ Failure / chemically induced
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / etiology*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
  • Dronedarone
  • Amiodarone