ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to document the profile of children with Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN, also called Lyell syndrome) in hospital settings in Lomé, Togo. METHOD: This descriptive retrospective study examined the records of children aged 0 to 15, seen and/or hospitalized in the dermatology department of CHU-SO Lomé and diagnosed with SJS/TEN between 2000 and 2015. RESULTS: Records were identified for 14 children with these diagnoses during the study period. Their average age was 10.9 ± 3.9 years. The average time between taking the apparently causal medication and the onset of symptoms was 10.5 days (range: 4 to 21 days). SJS accounted for 64.3% of the cases. Six children with SJS and one with TEN had ocular involvement. Antibacterial sulfonamides were the main drug involved for 43% of children, followed by anticonvulsants for 14/3%. CONCLUSION: Our results show that SJS/TEN is rare but serious in children. The antibacterial sulfonamides used for the treatment of malaria and anticonvulsants are their most frequent cause.
