Current treatments for patients with drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms
(DRESS) include supportive care, steroids and cyclosporine. No randomized controlled trial
(RCT) exists in comparing these treatments and all available literature comes in the form of
case reports and case series. These two treatments are considered standard of care and this
trial seeks only to compare outcomes of DRESS between these two therapies. No additional
labs, therapies or procedures will be used apart from those that are routinely done for
patients with this diagnosis.
This will be a pilot study to determine efficacy of the two therapies with particular
endpoints in mind so that the investigators can study the safety of these two therapies in
patients with DRESS.
Data suggests a potential benefit for adults with DRESS using either steroids or cyclosporine
but the investigators are seeking a comparison of efficacy of these two therapies. The study
population will include adults with a Registry of Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reaction
(RegiSCAR) score of greater than 4 (i.e. a likely diagnosis of DRESS). The investigators will
exclude patients with sepsis, active Hepatitis B or C, active tuberculosis, a documented
allergy to steroids or cyclosporine, and patients with an estimated glomerular filtration
rate (eGFR) < 30 (unless on dialysis in which case the participants will be included).