The world is full of conditions and diseases that range from mild and moderate to severe and life-threatening. Countless things can cause these illnesses, such as viruses and bacteria. However, certain medications can cause an individual to have an allergic reaction that leads to the development of certain conditions. Such is the case with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS).

Unfortunately, the prescription drugs you turn to treat one condition can turn around and cause the development of another. Often, these new diseases are far worse than the one you were using the medication to treat in the first place.

For example, medication such as penicillin and anti-gout medications are some of the drugs responsible for causing the reaction that results in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. These simple medications for minor conditions lead to potentially life-threatening results.

To make matters worse, diagnosing SJS is not as straightforward as one would think. When the condition first emerges, it shares symptoms with other, less severe diseases. Unfortunately, this leads to misdiagnosis or missing the disorder altogether.

Many people wonder, “How is Stevens-Johnson Syndrome diagnosed?” It’s a common question, but also a crucial one. You should know the steps doctors take to diagnose this condition accurately.

If you or a loved one were the victim of SJS and a doctor misdiagnosed your condition or missed the condition entirely, you might be able to recover damages. Give Wormington & Bollinger a call today and let us fight for you.

What is SJS? 

Before we explore how Stevens-Johnson Syndrome is diagnosed, we need to take a look at the disease and what it is. SJS is a rare skin disease that attacks a person’s skin, as well as the mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth, and/or genitals. You should always treat this disease with the highest level of seriousness. Once detected, you should seek treatment immediately.

Some common SJS symptoms include:

• Fever
• Skin pain
• Body aches
• Reddish/purplish rash that spreads across the skin
• Shedding skin
• Sore throat
• Fatigue
• Coughing
• Burning sensation across the skin and in the eyes
• Swelling eyes

If you do not seek treatment right away, this condition can worsen and develop into Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN).

While doctors once believed TEN and SJS were two different diseases, they have since discovered that they both exist on the same disease spectrum. TEN is just a much more advanced and dangerous form of SJS.

SJS affects roughly 10% of the skin on the body, while TEN affects about 30% or more. Plus, it is far more deadly.

SJS claims the lives of 10% of the patients with the disease, while 50% of patients lose their lives to TEN. As you can see, this skin disease can be fatal if you are not careful. That starts with an accurate diagnosis.

Diagnosing Stevens-Johnson Syndrome 

In order to prevent significant long-term damage, doctors must diagnose and treat Stevens-Johnson Syndrome early. If not, the disease will progress into Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, threatening the life of the patient.

It is vital that healthcare professionals, whether doctors, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants, know what kind of medications can cause SJS. That helps them know what conditions to look for when treating a patient.

Some of the most common medications involved in cases of SJS include:

• Antibiotics
• Sulfa drugs
• Allopurinol
• Dilantin
• Depakote
• Levaquin
• Diclofenac
• Penicillin
• Sulfonamides
• Barbiturates
• Anti-seizure medications
• Anti-gout medications

If healthcare experts know and understand that these medications can cause SJS, they can better treat it.

When it comes to diagnosing Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, doctors will utilize several tests and procedures, such as:

• Physical Exam: A physical exam is a simple way to look for SJS. Often, a doctor will be able to recognize the signs of the disease if your rash has progressed. They will examine how much skin is affected, how quickly a rash spread, and the level of pain you feel. Doctors will also take a look at your medical history, as well as medication history (current and stopped), to assist in their diagnosis.
• Skin or Oral Culture: Often, a doctor may take a skin or oral culture from affected areas to test for the disease.
• Skin Biopsy: To confirm the existence of the disease, a doctor may remove a sample of skin for a biopsy (a laboratory test). This test can either confirm or deny the diagnosis.
• Blood Tests: Additionally, a doctor may also take a blood test to confirm the presence of an infection, as well as look for other causes.

Complications When Diagnosing SJS

One of the main reasons why so many patients file medical malpractice lawsuits for Stevens-Johnson Syndrome is because many doctors often misdiagnose them with another disease or miss the condition entirely.

SJS is a rare skin disease, affecting only one to two people out of a million every year. Naturally, this low occurrence often means that most healthcare professionals do not have experience treating this condition compared to others.

Additionally, when SJS first emerges, it shares similar symptoms with other, more common diseases, such as the flu. Patients usually experience fever, sore throats, coughing, and more before a skin rash starts to spread across their body.

Because SJS resembles other conditions early on, doctors either diagnose patients with another disease or do not recognize the problem right away, allowing SJS to progress and worsen. When a doctor fails to diagnose an illness accurately, they put their patient in harm’s way.

Far too often, doctors do not recognize Stevens-Johnson Syndrome until it is too late. By the time it is diagnosed correctly, the condition has spread and caused significant damage. These healthcare professionals must be aware of this disease, the medications that can cause it, and its symptoms. If not, the results can be devastating.

If you or someone you love developed SJS and your doctor failed to catch or diagnose it, you might be in your right to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. Give Wormington & Bollinger a call and let us help you through this difficult time.