What is Stevens-Johnson syndrome?
Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a very rare and serious disease. The cause of this disease is often a previous infection or the intake of a new drug. The disease is caused by an overreaction of the immune system.
The disease becomes noticeable by a detachment of the skin, painful blisters and a strong feeling of illness. Women are usually affected significantly more often than men. People who suffer from HIV are also particularly frequently affected.
What are the causes?
There are two main triggers for Stevens-Johnson syndrome. On the one hand, a previous infection or on the other hand the intake of a new drug. Stevens-Johnson syndrome occurs mainly in the first 8 weeks after taking a new drug.
There are some drugs that are more frequently associated with Stevens-Johnson syndrome than others. These include above all drugs with the active ingredient Allopurinol (used to treat gout) and drugs with the sulfonamide group of active ingredients as well as Cotrimoxazol (antibiotic). This topic may also be of interest to you: Drug intolerance
How is Stevens-Johnson syndrome diagnosed?
By interviewing the patient (anamnesis), the doctor can find out possible triggers for Stevens-Johnson syndrome. This will be followed by a physical examination. Often the physician can suspect a Stevens-Johnson syndrome on the basis of the clinical appearance with a suitable medical history. To be on the safe side, a skin biopsy will also be taken, which can confirm the diagnosis of Stevens-Johnson syndrome. This topic may be of interest to you as a differential diagnosis to Stevens-Johnson syndrome: Drug exanthema
What are the symptoms of Stevens-Johnson syndrome?
Characteristic for the Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a detachment of the skin surface. The skin symptoms are circular and often blisters form. The appearance of these is reminiscent of a burn.
The skin is reddened and forms incrustations. These wounds on the skin are very painful. An indication of a Stevens-Johnson syndrome is the additional involvement of the mucous membranes.
The mouth and throat area and the genital area are particularly affected. In addition to the symptoms on the surface of the skin, inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eyes often occurs. Furthermore, affected persons very often suffer from a strong feeling of illness, fever and inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane (rhinitis).
Characteristic for the Stevens-Johnson syndrome is the involvement of the mucous membrane. This means that the mucous membrane is always affected. Mucous membranes are mainly found in the mouth and throat area and in the genital area, which is why these parts of the body are very often affected by Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
The areas where the skin surface separates are often located on the trunk. The face, arms and legs can also be affected. In addition to the skin symptoms, conjunctivitis is very common.
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