Immunopathogenesis of hypersensitivity syndrome reactions to sulfonamides.

Cytokines play a role in the immunopathological and molecular mechanisms of sulfonamide-induced hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs). The objective of this study was to analyze the reliability and correlation between the clinical symptoms observed in affected patients (n = 86) because of a sulfonamide-induced HSR and their lymphocyte toxicity assay (LTA) values. Another goal was to determine the cytokine secretion in the patient's sera and their expression in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and to explore whether a correlation exists among positive LTA score, cytokine levels, and HSR occurrence.