Antituberculosis Drug-Induced Fixed Drug Eruption: A Case Report

Fixed drug eruption (FDE) was caused by fixed-dose combination (FDC) of antituberculosis drugs in the form of tablet Forecox(®) (rifampicin [rifampin] 225 mg + isoniazid 150 mg + pyrazinamide 750 mg + ethambutol 400 mg) in a 40-year-old male patient with a history of drug allergy. The patient developed FDE after taking the third dose of tablet Forecox(®) for pulmonary tuberculosis. Tablet Forecox(®) was withdrawn and the patient recovered from the reaction after 15 days of treatment for FDE. As per World Health Organization–Uppsala Monitoring Centre (WHO-UMC) and Naranjo causality assessment criteria, the association between the reaction and tablet Forecox(®) was possible and probable, respectively. The reaction was moderately (Level 4b) severe according to the Modified Hartwig and Siegel scale. As there is an increased risk of allergic reaction in patients with a history of drug allergy, FDCs should not be used in order to avoid complexity in identifying the culprit drug.