Is there any treatment available for Stevenson Johnson Syndrome yet?

Ian Begg   Marketer, Engineer
I had never heard of it until your question.quick google gave this...

Treatment of mild symptoms may include:

Medications such as antihistamines to control itching

Moist compresses applied to the skin

Oral antiviral medication if it is caused by herpes simplex

Over-the-counter medications (such as acetaminophen) to reduce fever and discomfort

Topical anesthetics (especially for mouth lesions) to ease discomfort that interferes with eating and drinking

Treatment of severe symptoms may include:

Antibiotics to control any skin infections

Corticosteroids to control inflammation

Hospitalization and treatment in an intensive care or burn care unit for severe cases, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis

Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) to stop the disease process

Practicing good hygiene and staying away from other people may help prevent secondary infections.

Skin grafting may be helpful in cases in which large areas of the body are affected.
Apr 10th 2012 11:25   

Francis Youett   Hospital Service Coordinator
SJS constitutes a dermatological emergency. All medications should be discontinued, particularly those known to cause SJS reactions. Patients with documented mycoplasma infections can be treated with oral macrolide or oral doxycycline.[3]

Initially, treatment is similar to that for patients with thermal burns, and continued care can only be supportive (e.g. intravenous fluids and nasogastric or parenteral feeding) and symptomatic (e.g., analgesic mouth rinse for mouth ulcer). Dermatologists and surgeons tend to disagree about whether the skin should be debrided.[3]

Beyond this kind of supportive care, there is no accepted treatment for SJS. Treatment with corticosteroids is controversial. Early retrospective studies suggested that corticosteroids increased hospital stays and complication rates. There are no randomized trials of corticosteroids for SJS, and it can be managed successfully without them.[3]

Other agents have been used, including cyclophosphamide and cyclosporine, but none has exhibited much therapeutic success. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment has shown some promise in reducing the length of the reaction and improving symptoms. Other common supportive measures include the use of topical pain anesthetics and antiseptics, maintaining a warm environment, and intravenous analgesics. An ophthalmologist should be consulted immediately, as SJS frequently causes the formation of scar tissue inside the eyelids, leading to corneal vascularization, impaired vision and a host of other ocular problems.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome requires hospitalization, often in an intensive care unit or burn unit.

Stopping medication causes
The first and most important step in treating Stevens-Johnson syndrome is to discontinue any medications that may be causing it. Because it's difficult to determine exactly which drug may be causing the problem, your doctor may recommend that you stop taking all nonessential medications.

Supportive care
Currently there are no standard recommendations for treating Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Supportive care you're likely to receive while hospitalized includes:

Fluid replacement and nutrition. Because skin loss can result in significant loss of fluid from your body, replacing fluids is an important part of treatment. You may receive fluids and nutrients through a tube placed through your nose and advanced into your stomach (nasogastric tube).Wound care. Cool, wet compresses will help soothe blisters while they heal. Your health care team may gently remove any dead skin, and then place a dressing with a topical anesthetic over the affected areas, if needed.Eye care. Because of the risk of eye damage, your treatment should include consultation with an eye specialist (ophthalmologist).Medications
Medications commonly used in the treatment of Stevens-Johnson syndrome include:

Pain medication to reduce discomfort
Antihistamines to relieve itching
Antibiotics to control infection, when needed
Topical steroids to reduce skin inflammation
In addition, you may receive one of the following types of medications that are currently being studied in the treatment of Stevens-Johnson syndrome:

Intravenous corticosteroids. For adults, these drugs may lessen the severity of symptoms and shorten recovery time if started within a day or two of when symptoms first appear. For children, they may increase risk of complications.Immunoglobulin intravenous (IVIG). This medication contains antibodies that may help your immune system halt the process of Stevens-Johnson syndrome.Skin grafting
If a large area of your body is affected, skin grafting — removing skin from one area of your body and attaching it to another or using a synthetic skin substitute — may be necessary to help you heal. This treatment is only rarely required.

If the underlying cause of Stevens-Johnson syndrome can be eliminated and the skin reaction stopped, your skin may begin to grow again within several days. In severe cases, full recovery may take several months.
Apr 13th 2012 23:01   

Paul Smith  Health Expert
really informative post thanks for sharing....
May 24th 2012 05:03   

Rieke F.   Consultant
You should be aware that any disease and the SJS too is a not correct working metabolism or with other words: cells are damaged and therefore they'll do not communicate with each other in the proper way. There is a product which will help you with this. Please PM me for further information.
Jun 18th 2012 00:08