A medication commonly used to treat gout, kidney stones and other conditions may put a patient at risk for a life-threatening skin condition.

Allopurinol is sometimes sold under the brand names Aloprim, Lopurin and Zyloprim. It’s FDA-approved to prevent gout, treat kidney stones, and reduce the high levels of uric acid caused by some cancer treatments.

All three of these conditions are related to an excess of uric acid. Allopurinol works by reducing the body’s own production of uric acid.

Sometimes doctors also prescribe Allopurinol for off-label uses like treating seizures, infections, and pain associated with pancreatic disease. It can help prevent rejection of transplanted kidneys, improve a patient’s chances of survival after bypass surgery, and reduce relapses of ulcers.

The FDA-approved warning label for allopurinol advises patients to discontinue Allopurinol at the first sign of a skin rash. This rash may be one of the earliest signs of Steven Johnson Syndrome, a condition that mainly attacks the skin but has consequences that can threaten the entire body.

Allopurinol and Steven Johnson Syndrome

The very first symptoms of Steven Johnson Syndrome, or SJS, may be mistaken for signs of the flu. The patient may start off with fever, cough, fatigue, and a sore throat.

Later, a red or purple rash breaks out and spreads over the skin. Blisters may form on the skin and the mucous membranes, the soft tissue that lines the inside of the nose, mouth, eyelids and genitals. On the outer surface of the skin, these blisters may grow into each other, forming large areas of skin that peel away from the body.

This peeling takes the entire outer layer of skin, or epidermis, off the body, exposing the sensitive underlayer. In cases where 30 percent or more of the body’s surface area is affected, the condition is then referred to as toxic epidermal necrolysis. TEN is now considered to be a more extreme manifestation of SJS, one that poses a significantly greater threat to the patient’s life.

Sores on the mucous membranes can make eating painful and difficult. The eyes can become painfully swollen, and they may become so purulent they seal shut. The corneas are also at risk for scarring.

The lost layer of skin results in massive loss of fluids and salts. It also puts the patient at serious risk for infection. Infections are the most common cause of death for patients with SJS or TEN. They are also at a considerable risk for organ failure.

Treatment of both SJS and TEN require long-term hospitalization. If Allopurinol is the cause of the condition, the patient must discontinue it immediately. Treatment focuses on addressing the symptoms and preventing infection while the body gets a chance to regrow the lost skin.

Of the many possible causes of SJS, Allopurinol may one of the most common. One study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology in October 2007 concluded that is “the drug most commonly associated with SJS or TEN” in Europe and Israel. Though these conditions are fortunately very rare, the consequences can be devastating when they take an Allopurinol patient by surprise.

If you or someone you love has taken Allopurinol and subsequently suffered from Steven Johnson Syndrome, you may be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering, along with medical expenses.  An experienced drug injury attorney can review your case at no cost and advise you of your legal options.