Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat It IsSymptomsCausesTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What It Is
Symptoms
Causes
Treatment
Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a rare condition of the skin and mucous membranes. It is usually thought of as a severe reaction to a medication or infection, though some experts think it is a separate condition.
There is also a severe form of Stevens-Johnson syndrome calledtoxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN)or Lyell’s Syndrome.
This article discusses Stevens-Johnson syndrome and its causes. It also goes over the symptoms and triggers of this condition.
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What Is Stevens-Johnson Syndrome?
Stevens-Johnson syndrome can be life-threatening and can cause serious symptoms, such as large skin blisters and shedding of a child’s skin.
Two pediatricians, Albert Mason Stevens and Frank Chambliss Johnson, discovered Stevens-Johnson syndrome in 1922.
Other experts think Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a separate condition from erythema multiforme. These experts acknowledge two forms of erythema multiforme: erythema multiforme minor and erythema multiforme major (Stevens-Johnson syndrome).
What is the survival rate for Stevens-Johnson syndrome?Unfortunately, about 5.4% of people with Stevens-Johnson syndrome and 15.3% with toxic epidermal necrolysishave such severe symptoms that they do not recover.
What is the survival rate for Stevens-Johnson syndrome?
Unfortunately, about 5.4% of people with Stevens-Johnson syndrome and 15.3% with toxic epidermal necrolysishave such severe symptoms that they do not recover.
Symptoms of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome
Stevens-Johnson syndrome generally starts with flu-like symptoms, such as a fever, sore throat, and cough. Next, within a few days, a child with Stevens-Johnson syndrome will develop:
Complications of Stevens-Johnson syndrome can include corneal ulceration and blindness, pneumonitis, myocarditis, hepatitis, hematuria, kidney failure, andsepsis.
A positive Nikolsky’s sign, in which the top layers of a child’s skin comes off when rubbed, is a sign of severe Stevens-Johnson syndrome or a sign that it has evolved into toxic epidermal necrolysis.
A child is also classified as having toxic epidermal necrolysis if they have more than 30% epidermal (skin) detachment.
What Is Most Likely to Cause Stevens-Johnson Syndrome?
Although more than 200 medications can trigger Stevens-Johnson syndrome, the most common include:
Cam Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Be Cured?
Stevens-Johnson syndrome treatments are often coordinated in a team approach, with the ICU doctor, a dermatologist, an ophthalmologist, a pulmonologist, and a gastroenterologist.
Parents should seek medical attention immediately if they think their child might have Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
Summary
Stevens-Johnson syndrome is usually treated in an intensive care unit with IV fluids, pain medication, wound care, and other supportive treatments.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Callahan SW, Oza VS.Stevens-Johnson syndrome-A look back.JAMA Dermatol.2017;153(2):240. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2016.0180Sadek M, Iqbal O, Siddiqui F, et al.The role of IL-13, IL-15 and granulysin in the pathogenesis of Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis.Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2021;27:1076029620950831. doi:10.1177/1076029620950831Sweileh WM.Bibliometric analysis of literature on toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome: 1940 - 2015.Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2017;12(1):14. doi:10.1186/s13023-017-0566-8Wasuwanich P, So JM, Chakrala TS, Chen J, Motaparthi K.Epidemiology of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis in the United States and factors predictive of outcome.JAAD Int. 2023;13:17-25. doi:10.1016/j.jdin.2023.06.014National Health Service.Steven Johnsons syndrome.Neill BC, Seger EW, Ferguson JE, Hooton T, Rickstrew JJ, Rajpara A.SJS/TENN: A mnemonic for early clinical diagnosis of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.Kans J Med. 2021;14:114-115. doi:10.17161/kjm.vol1414842National Institutes for Health.Stevens Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis.Schneider JA, Cohen PR.Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis: A concise review with a comprehensive summary of therapeutic interventions emphasizing supportive measures.Adv Ther.2017;34(6):1235-1244. doi:10.1007/s12325-017-0530-y
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Callahan SW, Oza VS.Stevens-Johnson syndrome-A look back.JAMA Dermatol.2017;153(2):240. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2016.0180Sadek M, Iqbal O, Siddiqui F, et al.The role of IL-13, IL-15 and granulysin in the pathogenesis of Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis.Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2021;27:1076029620950831. doi:10.1177/1076029620950831Sweileh WM.Bibliometric analysis of literature on toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome: 1940 - 2015.Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2017;12(1):14. doi:10.1186/s13023-017-0566-8Wasuwanich P, So JM, Chakrala TS, Chen J, Motaparthi K.Epidemiology of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis in the United States and factors predictive of outcome.JAAD Int. 2023;13:17-25. doi:10.1016/j.jdin.2023.06.014National Health Service.Steven Johnsons syndrome.Neill BC, Seger EW, Ferguson JE, Hooton T, Rickstrew JJ, Rajpara A.SJS/TENN: A mnemonic for early clinical diagnosis of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.Kans J Med. 2021;14:114-115. doi:10.17161/kjm.vol1414842National Institutes for Health.Stevens Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis.Schneider JA, Cohen PR.Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis: A concise review with a comprehensive summary of therapeutic interventions emphasizing supportive measures.Adv Ther.2017;34(6):1235-1244. doi:10.1007/s12325-017-0530-y
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Callahan SW, Oza VS.Stevens-Johnson syndrome-A look back.JAMA Dermatol.2017;153(2):240. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2016.0180Sadek M, Iqbal O, Siddiqui F, et al.The role of IL-13, IL-15 and granulysin in the pathogenesis of Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis.Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2021;27:1076029620950831. doi:10.1177/1076029620950831Sweileh WM.Bibliometric analysis of literature on toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome: 1940 - 2015.Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2017;12(1):14. doi:10.1186/s13023-017-0566-8Wasuwanich P, So JM, Chakrala TS, Chen J, Motaparthi K.Epidemiology of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis in the United States and factors predictive of outcome.JAAD Int. 2023;13:17-25. doi:10.1016/j.jdin.2023.06.014National Health Service.Steven Johnsons syndrome.Neill BC, Seger EW, Ferguson JE, Hooton T, Rickstrew JJ, Rajpara A.SJS/TENN: A mnemonic for early clinical diagnosis of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.Kans J Med. 2021;14:114-115. doi:10.17161/kjm.vol1414842National Institutes for Health.Stevens Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis.Schneider JA, Cohen PR.Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis: A concise review with a comprehensive summary of therapeutic interventions emphasizing supportive measures.Adv Ther.2017;34(6):1235-1244. doi:10.1007/s12325-017-0530-y
Callahan SW, Oza VS.Stevens-Johnson syndrome-A look back.JAMA Dermatol.2017;153(2):240. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2016.0180
Sadek M, Iqbal O, Siddiqui F, et al.The role of IL-13, IL-15 and granulysin in the pathogenesis of Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis.Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2021;27:1076029620950831. doi:10.1177/1076029620950831
Sweileh WM.Bibliometric analysis of literature on toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome: 1940 - 2015.Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2017;12(1):14. doi:10.1186/s13023-017-0566-8
Wasuwanich P, So JM, Chakrala TS, Chen J, Motaparthi K.Epidemiology of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis in the United States and factors predictive of outcome.JAAD Int. 2023;13:17-25. doi:10.1016/j.jdin.2023.06.014
National Health Service.Steven Johnsons syndrome.
Neill BC, Seger EW, Ferguson JE, Hooton T, Rickstrew JJ, Rajpara A.SJS/TENN: A mnemonic for early clinical diagnosis of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.Kans J Med. 2021;14:114-115. doi:10.17161/kjm.vol1414842
National Institutes for Health.Stevens Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis.
Schneider JA, Cohen PR.Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis: A concise review with a comprehensive summary of therapeutic interventions emphasizing supportive measures.Adv Ther.2017;34(6):1235-1244. doi:10.1007/s12325-017-0530-y
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