Background: Drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome/drug rash with eosinophilia with systemic symptoms (DIHS/DRESS) is a severe drug eruption accompanied by multiorgan disorders. Several unique aspects of DIHS/DRESS, including herpesvirus reactivation, liver dysfunction and hypogammaglobulinaemia, have similarities to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
Aim: In this study, we focused on the dynamics of regulatory T cells (Tregs) infiltrating into the skin lesions of DIHS/DRESS and GVHD.
Methods: Skin biopsies were taken from patients with DIHS/DRESS, GVHD, or maculopapular drug eruption. Tregs were detected using immunostaining with anti-FoxP3.
Results: The ratio of FoxP3+ T cells to CD3+ T cells was significantly higher in the skin lesions of patients with DIHS/DRESS than in those of patients with GVHD, and was positively correlated with the number of days from disease onset in the acute phase.
Conclusions: The dynamics of Tregs in skin lesions are different between DIHS/DRESS and GVHD, despite there being many similarities between these conditions.
© 2014 British Association of Dermatologists.