Anti-seizure medications and DRESS in paediatric patients: A FAERS disproportionality and time-to-onset analysis.

Disproportionality (FAERS) and time-to-onset analysis of paediatric ASM-associated DRESS, using several signal-detection methods

Anti-seizure medications are among the most frequent causes of DRESS (drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms), but no study had systematically evaluated it in children. The authors analyse the FAERS database (2004–2025) using four disproportionality methods and a time-to-onset (Weibull) analysis. Across 941 paediatric ASM-related DRESS reports, positive signals are identified for lamotrigine, carbamazepine, levetiracetam, phenytoin and valproate.

Synthesis written by Geno'X. For the full original abstract, please refer to the source publication.

A useful pharmacovigilance analysis for ranking paediatric DRESS risk by drug, with an implicit pharmacogenetic angle (the known role of HLA alleles, notably for carbamazepine). The usual FAERS limitations (spontaneous reporting, no denominator) mean findings should be read as signals, not incidence.

Analysis by Dr Thibaut Benquey