Lawyers are seeking Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis victims who may have contracted the deadly skin diseases after taking the anticonvulsant medication known as Lamictal. According to a published research study, Lamictal use should be considered a serious SJS and TEN risk factor. This is especially true for children taking Lamictal as an anti-seizure treatment.

Lamictal (or Lamotrigine) is a seizure treatment also approved to treat Lenoux-Gastaut Syndrome, a form of child-onset epilepsy. Since receiving FDA approval in 2004, GlaxoSmithKline has successfully marketed their anti-seizure drug in the U.S. and abroad.

Despite the drug’s popularity and potential health benefits for seizure victims, the antiepileptic medication has an FDA-mandated black box warning due to the risk of rashes, a serious symptom of Lamictal Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

Lamictal SJS Research Studies

According to Lamictal clinical trials, about 10 percent of patients using the drug exhibited a rash. Although not all Lamictal rashes exhibited by patients during the clinical trial were severe, for some participants these rashes were the first signs of Lamictal SJS or TEN.

A study published in the January 2009 issue of the journal Pediatrics evaluated medications prescribed to children that carry a risk of SJS and TEN. This SJS research study consisted of 80 SJS cases, paired with 216 control cases. The study also pulled data from international studies conducted in France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Israel, and Austria; all patients involved in this study were under the age of 15. After pooling and examining all data, the researchers confirmed that Lamictal and at least three other types of drugs were strongly associated with an increased risk of SJS and TEN.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Symptoms

Both SJS and TEN have the potential to harm the mucous membrane. Once the SJS rashes and burns spread along the body, the mucous membrane (commonly found on a person’s eyes, mouth, and in the vaginal area) can become blistered and burned.

Some symptoms of SJS and TEN that Lamictal patients should be aware of include:

• Facial swelling
• Tongue swelling
• Hives
• Skin pain
• A red or purple skin rash that spreads over a patient’s body within a few days
• Blisters on the skin and mucous membrane, especially appearing on the eyes, nose, and mouth
• Sloughing off of skin

SJS tends to first present with flu-like symptoms a few days before rashes appear, so Lamictal patients should monitor symptoms including fever, cough, sore throat, and burning eyes.

If you or someone you know developed SJS after taking Lamictal, contact an SJS lawyer to determine If you have grounds to file a Lamictal SJS lawsuit.