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Fixed drug eruption-induced balanoposthitis: a case report

International Journal of Impotence Research (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

Fixed Drug Eruptions (FDE) represent a distinctive type of adverse drug reaction, typically characterized by recurring, sharply demarcated skin lesions occurring at identical sites with each administration of the causative drug. A less frequent, albeit significant manifestation of FDE, is balanoposthitis, an inflammatory condition affecting the glans penis and prepuce. This rare case report explores the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and therapeutic management of FDE-induced balanoposthitis in a 34-year-old male patient who developed this condition following azithromycin administration to treat a pulmonary infection. The patient’s distinctive symptoms, coupled with a medical history of similar antibiotic-induced reactions, pointed strongly towards an FDE diagnosis. Management entailed immediate discontinuation of the offending drug and initiation of symptomatic treatment, culminating in a positive therapeutic outcome. This case illuminates the potential of commonly prescribed medications, such as antibiotics, to incite balanoposthitis via FDE. It underscores the critical need for healthcare professionals to include FDE in their differential diagnosis for balanoposthitis, especially when patient exposure to high-risk medications is evident. Furthermore, the report emphasizes the pressing requirement for additional research to elucidate the pathogenesis of FDE-induced balanoposthitis and to devise effective therapeutic and preventive measures.

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Fig. 1: Fixed drug eruption on the glans penis caused by azithromycin in a 34-year-old male.

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The data generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Funding

This study was supported by the Sichuan Science and Technology Program (Award Number: 2023NSFSC1802, Recipient: FY).

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Jingyi Zhang, Fang Yang.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 610075, China

    Jingyi Zhang, Fang Yang, Meijing Wang, Aili Yang, Feng Zhang, Yao Xiao, Yanxin Guan & Xujun Yu

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  1. Jingyi Zhang
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  2. Fang Yang
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  5. Feng Zhang
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  7. Yanxin Guan
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  8. Xujun Yu
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Contributions

JYZ and FY conceptualized the research study. YX, MJW, and ALY conducted the investigation. FY provided the necessary resources for the study. The original draft of the manuscript was written by JYZ. The manuscript was reviewed and edited by FY, MJW, FZ, and XJY. The project was supervised by XJY, who also administered the project alongside YXG and FZ.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xujun Yu.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethical approval

Per the guidelines of our institution, no formal ethical approval or participant consent is necessary for a single case report if it contains no patient-identifying information. However, we have obtained the patient’s consent, and it can be requested from the corresponding author if needed. The methodologies employed in this study involving human participants align with the ethical norms of our institutional and national research committees and adhere to the principles outlined in the 1964 Helsinki Declaration, its subsequent amendments, or equivalent ethical standards.

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Zhang, J., Yang, F., Wang, M. et al. Fixed drug eruption-induced balanoposthitis: a case report. Int J Impot Res (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-023-00817-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-023-00817-y

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