Understanding causes of SJS can help reduce number of reactions
May 26th, 2010 by Jennifer Walker-Journey
More than 2,000 drugs, including penicillin, antibiotics, some epilepsy drugs and anti-inflammatory drugs including popular OTC brands Advil, Aleve and Motrin, have been linked to a rare but life threatening allergic reaction to medicine known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS). When people first present symptoms of the condition, they are most often misdiagnosed until the patient’s health worsens. Though rare, some cases can be fatal. Which is why it is important to understand SJS and recognize its symptoms so that medical attention can be sought early.
SJS usually begins with a fever, sore throat and fatigue. As the condition progresses, purple spots begin to cover the face and trunk. Those spots fuse together into patches that eventually form blisters. The blistered area sheds off leaving the body exposed and causing extreme pain for sufferers. Ulcers and other lesions appear in the mucous membranes, usually the mouth and lips but also in the genital and anal regions. Lesions in the mouth can be extremely painful, which causes the patient to refuse food or water. Conjunctivitis in the eyes occurs in about a third of the population who suffer from SJS. The liver, kidneys and lungs can also be affected.
Mild cases of SJS – with less than 10 percent of body surface involved – have a mortality rate of about 5 percent. The more skin involved, the more life threatening it is. Those who survive often experience organ damage or failure, cornea scratching and blindness.
People who have suffered from SJS should wear a medical alert bracelet notifying others that they should avoid taking any drugs that carry a risk for the condition. Drugs that have been linked to SJS are required to include a warning of the risk of SJS on the medication’s safety packaging. Unfortunately, some people who have fallen ill with SJS believe they were not adequately warned of the potential side effects of the drugs.