A 15-year old high school sophomore, Margaret S., died Nov. 9 from a fatal rash known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome, or SJS, is a rare disorder that stems from a reaction to medication, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Margaret battled the condition for more than a month at Akron Children’s Hospital before she ultimately succumbed to the fatal rash.

Margaret, known as “Maggie” to family and friends, was hard-working, outgoing and active in her high school’s art and choir programs, as well as the swimming program, her school principal stated.

“She loved the fine arts,” her high school principal said. “She had taken the bulk of our art classes. The bulk of her friends were choir and band students. … Any art class she could take, she was in it.”

More About Stevens Johnson Syndrome

Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) are two forms of the same life-threatening drug reaction that cause rash, skin peeling, and sores on the mucous membranes.

• SJS and TEN are commonly caused by drugs or infections.
• Typical symptoms for both diseases include peeling skin, fever, body aches, a flat red rash, and blisters and sores on the mucous membranes.
• Affected people are typically hospitalized in a burn unit and given fluids and sometimes medication, while all suspected causal drugs are stopped.

Skin peeling is the hallmark of these conditions. In Stevens Johnson Syndrome there are only small areas of peeling skin (affecting less than 10% of the body), whereas Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis causes large areas of peeling skin (affecting over 30% of the body).

The post-blister skin peeling involves the entire top layer of the skin (the epidermis), which sometimes peels off in sheets from large areas of the body.

Blistering of the mucous membranes typically occurs in the mouth, eyes, and vagina.

Both disorders can be life threatening.

Causes of Potential SJS Fatal Rash

About half the cases of Stevens Johnson Syndrome and nearly all the cases of Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis are caused by a reaction to a drug, most often sulfa and other antibiotics and anticonvulsants.

Some cases of the potentially fatal rash are caused by a bacterial infection, vaccination, or graft-versus-host disease.

Sometimes, a cause cannot be identified.

SJS and TEN occur in all age groups. The potentially fatal rash is more likely to occur in people with a bone marrow transplant, systemic lupus erythematosus, other chronic joint and connective tissue diseases, or with HIV. The tendency to develop SJS or TEN can run in families.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome Lawsuits

Pharmaceutical companies are obligated to follow strict laws and protocols when it comes to prescription drugs and products they manufacture for consumer use. Companies that fail to abide by these laws could be liable to those harmed by their product or drug.

Several high-profile SJS lawsuits have resulted in multi-million dollar jury awards to patients who developed drug-induced Stevens Johnson Syndrome. Oftentimes these SJS lawsuits are filed by the victim’s family due to the young age of the patient or their unfortunate death from the fatal rash.