Drug-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome: A case series

ABSTRACT

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) can be defined as a rare, serious disorder of the skin and mucous membrane characterized by widespread vesiculobullous rash with epidermal sloughing and necrosis involving mainly eyes, oral cavity, and skin. SJS can be diagnosed if there is <10% of the skin involvement. SJS occurs as an idiosyncratic reaction to various medications. Among them, the most common are antimicrobial agents (AMAs), antiepileptics, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). SJS is one of the dermatological emergencies for which initial treatment can only be supportive like fluids and nasogastric or parenteral feeding and symptomatic measures like analgesic mouth rinse for mouth ulcer. Beyond this, no treatment for SJS is approved. Cases of drug-induced SJS as diagnosed by Skin and VD department were included in the study. Interpretations were drawn out from that data and causality assessment was done according to the WHO-UMC causality assessment. Total four cases of drug-induced SJS were available. two cases of male patients and two of female patients. Out of them, three cases were by NSAIDs induced and one case was anti-epileptic (phenytoin) induced. In the present study, it was found that three of the cases of drug-induced SJS were caused NSAIDs and one case by anti-epileptic. According to the WHO-UMC Causality assessment, three cases were probable and one was unclassified.