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Original Article Open Access

Correlation of Serum IgE Levels and Clinical Manifestations in Patients Presenting with Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions in a Tertiary Care Centre, Eastern Zone of India

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* Correspondence: [email protected]
Annals of Medicine and Medical Sciences Volume 04 (2025), Version 11 September 17, 2025 pp. 1077 - 1084
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Abstract

Objective: To examine the correlation between serum Immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels and the clinical spectrum and severity of Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions (CADRs) in patients attending a tertiary care center in Eastern India, evaluating IgE as a surrogate marker of immunopathological severity. Design: Cross-sectional, institution-based observational study conducted over twelve months, integrating clinical, pharmacovigilance, and immunoserological assessments. Subjects/Patients: Seventy-three patients with clinically diagnosed CADRs, aged 10-70 years (mean 38.25 ± 14.58 years), with slight female predominance (52.1%). Methods: Patients underwent detailed history, lesion morphology classification, and WHO-UMC (World Health Organization - Uppsala Monitoring Centre) causality assessment. Serum total IgE levels and absolute eosinophil counts were quantified. Statistical associations between IgE elevation and severity were analyzed using chi-square and t-tests. Patients were stratified into Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions (SCARs) and non-SCARs, with drug classes systematically mapped. Results: Fixed drug eruption (51.6%) was most frequent; SCARs comprised 12.3% (Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, TEN, DRESS). Antibiotics (40%) and NSAIDs (26.3%) were leading culprits. Mean IgE was 373.4 ± 341.7 IU/mL. Elevated IgE (>100 IU/mL) occurred in 81% of SCARs versus 36.5% of non-SCARs (p < 0.001). Eosinophilia was noted in 26%, especially in DRESS. Conclusion: Elevated IgE strongly correlates with CADR severity, positioning it as a pragmatic biomarker for SCAR triage and immunodermatologic risk stratification.

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