Stevens Johnson Syndrome is so rare, some patients may never have even heard of it before being diagnosed. Here is some basic information about the condition and what causes it.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a dangerous and debilitating condition that mainly affects the skin. Its trademark symptom is a rash that appears and spreads within hours or days. These areas of rash can develop blisters that enlarge and can peel away, exposing the patient to infection and further complications.

If more than 30 percent of the body’s surface area peels away, the condition is then referred to as toxic epidermal necrolysis. Doctors now consider TEN to be a more advanced form of Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

Blisters can also form on the mucous membranes that line the mouth, eyes, or digestive system. The patient may develop eye symptoms like conjunctivitis or corneal damage. Hair and nails sometimes fall out.

Treatment usually requires prolonged hospitalization, sometimes in a hospital’s burn unit. There’s no ready remedy for Stevens Johnson Syndrome – doctors can only treat symptoms and prevent complications. The first step in SJS treatment is to find and stop the cause.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome Causes

The list of Stevens Johnson Syndrome causes is long. Sometimes it develops as a reaction to an infection, such as herpes, pneumonia, hepatitis or HIV.

More often than not, however, Stevens Johnson disease is a reaction to some type of medication, as are almost all cases of TEN. There’s no single type of medication that has a particular connection to SJS; many different types of medications can be Stevens Johnson Syndrome causes, from anti-inflammatories to antibiotics to psychiatric medications. SJS has also been reported in conjunction with the use of different anticonvulsant medications, such as Lamictal.

Lamictal, also known as lamotrigine, is an anticonvulsant medication made by GlaxoSmithKline. It’s been on the market since first gaining FDA approval in 1994. The FDA has approved Lamictal as a treatment for certain types of seizures, either by itself or in conjunction with other drugs. It’s also approved for the treatment of bipolar I disorder.

As the warning information for Lamictal acknowledges, Stevens Johnson Syndrome is among the serious skin conditions that have been reported in conjunction with Lamictal therapy. Worldwide, there have been reports that some patients developed TEN and rash-related death.

According to the manufacturer’s warning information, Lamictal SJS is much more likely to occur in children than in adults. But other than age, there are no know factors that can predict the risk or severity of Lamictal rash for a particular patient.

It’s possible that taking Lamictal in conjunction with valporate, another anticonvulsant drug, could increase that risk. Exceeding the recommended dose of Lamictal could also be a factor, as could increasing Lamictal dosage faster than is recommended. Still, there have been cases of Lamictal SJS reported that happened in the absence of all these factors.

If you or a loved one were diagnosed with SJS or TEN following treatment with Lamictal, it’s possible Lamictal was the cause. Talking to a knowledgeable SJS attorney can apprise you of all your possible legal options.