How serious is Stevens-Johnson syndrome?

Serious complications can include pneumonia, overwhelming bacterial infections (sepsis ), shock, multiple organ failure, and death. About 10 percent of people with Stevens-Johnson syndrome die from the disease, while the condition is fatal in up to 50 percent of those with toxic epidermal necrolysis.

What is Stevens-Johnson syndrome caused by?

Stevens-Johnson syndrome is usually caused by an unpredictable adverse reaction to certain medications. It can also sometimes be caused by an infection. The syndrome often begins with flu-like symptoms, followed by a red or purple rash that spreads and forms blisters. The affected skin eventually dies and peels off.

Can you recover from Stevens-Johnson syndrome?

Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a medical emergency that usually requires hospitalization. Treatment focuses on removing the cause, caring for wounds, controlling pain and minimizing complications as skin regrows. It can take weeks to months to recover.

Where does Stevens-Johnson syndrome rash start?

These skin symptoms usually begin on the face and chest, and then spread to other parts of the body. The percentage of body surface area affected can vary significantly from person to person. When skin detachment occurs on less than 10\% of the body surface, the condition is classified as Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS).

Which antibiotic causes Steven Johnson Syndrome?

Antibiotics are the most common cause of Stevens-Johnson syndrome, followed by analgesics, cough and cold medication, NSAIDs, psycho-epileptics, and antigout drugs. Of antibiotics, penicillins and sulfa drugs are prominent culprits; ciprofloxacin has also been reported.

How long does Steven Johnson Syndrome take to develop?

If your case of SJS is caused by a drug, symptoms appear about one to three weeks after you start taking medication. The flu-like illness (fever, cough and headache, skin pain) is followed first by a rash and then peeling. In the case of TEN, some people even lose hair and nails.

How long does Steven Johnson Syndrome last?

How long does it take for Steven Johnson syndrome to develop?

The typical clinical course of SJS begins within 8 weeks (usually 4 to 30 days) following the first exposure to the causative agent. Only in very rare cases where an inadvertent rechallenge occurs do symptoms appear within hours.

How quickly does Stevens-Johnson progress?

SJS/TEN usually develops within the first week of antibiotic therapy but up to 2 months after starting an anticonvulsant. For most drugs, the onset is within a few days up to 1 month.

How fast does Stevens-Johnson syndrome progress?

Clinical Presentation. The typical clinical course of SJS begins within 8 weeks (usually 4 to 30 days) following the first exposure to the causative agent. Only in very rare cases where an inadvertent rechallenge occurs do symptoms appear within hours.

Which drugs are most associated with Stevens-Johnson syndrome?

Anti-gout medications,such as allopurinol

Medications to treat seizures and mental illness (anticonvulsants and antipsychotics),with added risk if you also undergo radiation therapy;

Pain relievers,such as acetaminophen (Tylenol,others),ibuprofen (Advil,Motrin IB,others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve)

What is the cause of Stevens Johnson syndrome?

Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a rare and unpredictable reaction. Your doctor may not be able to identify its exact cause, but usually the condition is triggered by a medication or an infection. A reaction to medication may start while you’re using it or up to two weeks after you’ve stopped using it.

What causes Steven Johnson syndrome?

Still no concrete cause has been found for Stevens Johnson syndrome. It is believed to be caused by side effects of medications or infections. People who are using anti inflammatory drugs (non steroidal), penicillin, anti gout medicines, anticonvulsant (for epilepsy) drugs can have increased chance for getting this syndrome.