According to a 2002 medical report, the quinolone drug levofloxacin has been linked with a Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) incident.

SJS is a severe and sometimes deadly skin reaction that can morph into an even more severe skin condition known as Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN). SJS is one of several severe side effects of quinolones being reported by numerous users. Quinolones are commonly prescribed antibiotics used to treat a variety of bacterial infections.

The quinolone SJS study was published in the 2002 edition of the Pharmacotherapy medical journal. The research study followed the painful experience of a 78-year-old woman who allegedly suffered from SJS and TEN after taking some form of levofloxacin (which is known as brand name Levaquin and Quixin).

The elderly patient was originally being treated for other medical problems relating to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and was initially prescribed levofloxacin to treat community acquired pneumonia. After she was discharged from the hospital, she was instructed by physicians to continue her levofloxacin treatment for three more days at home.

However, a few days later, the patient developed severe rashes and blisters on her body, indicating a possible SJS reaction. Over the course of a week, these SJS rashes progressed until the patient developed TEN, a diagnosis that is given when SJS rashes and burns cover over 30 percent of a person’s body. The elderly women was then transferred to a burn treatment center, where she was treated with fluid resuscitation, bandages, and other types of antibiotics. After 22 days she was finally discharged from the hospital, having survived her SJS and TEN allergic skin condition.

According to researchers, this is the first, though probably not the last, published case of a Levaquin Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

What is Stevens Johnson Syndrome?

Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) are painful skin conditions that develop as an allergic reaction to a number of prescription and over-the-counter medications. However, Quinolone antibiotic drugs (like Cipro, Levaquin, and Avelox) have been found to have a high number of serious SJS and/or TEN cases,

When a patient develops quinolone SJS or TEN after taking a medication like levofloxacin, their topmost skin cells die, leaving the deeper layers exposed and unprotected, thus becoming blistered and infected.

Due to the sensitive dermis’ exposure and the subsequent pain experienced by quinolone SJS victims, they need to be hospitalized for weeks to months at a time for monitoring and treatment. In some extreme cases, a quinolone SJS patient may die.

Some Quinolone SJS side effects may include:

• Painful Blistering of the skin and mucous membrane involvement.
• In many cases preceded with flu like symptoms and high fever.
• As it evolves the skin literally sloughs off.
• Ocular involvement includes severe conjunctivis, iritis, palpebral edema, conjunctival and corneal blisters and erosions, and corneal perforation.

As a result of the pain and suffering experienced by Stevens Johnson Syndrome victims, many quinolone users or their family members have filed quinolone SJS lawsuits against the manufacturers of these antibiotic drugs seeking compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages.