Background: No systemic review of skin reactions to alimentary tract medications is available in the literature.
Objective: We reviewed the reactions to alimentary tract medications reported to the surveillance system of the Italian Group for Epidemiologic Research in Dermatology (GISED).
Methods: Between January 1988 and December 1994, 202 dermatologists in Italy reported to the coordinating center for GISED all the adverse reactions they observed during prespecified 2-month monitoring periods. Reactions classified under ATC codes A02-A04, A06, A07 and A09 were used for this analysis.
Results: Of 2,789 reactions, 48 were attributed to alimentary tract medications. Urticaria/angioedema and exanthemas accounted for about 70% of these reactions. Fixed eruptions and lichenoid dermatitis accounted for a large part of the remaining reactions. Antiulcers and antiemetics appeared remarkably safe.
Conclusion: Our data are reassuring with regard to the cutaneous reaction profile of several drugs taken for diseases of the alimentary tract.