Retrospective analysis of deaths due to drug- induced StevensJohnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) in inpatients admitted in the dermatology unit of a tertiary care hospital

Abstract

Objective: Stevens –Johnson Syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis are two most severe forms of acute drug reactions that are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. An expeditious identification of the offending drug is necessary for the early withdrawal as well as prevention of recurrence of such life threatening illness. The objective of our study was to identify the demography, offending agents, morbidity and mortality of SJS and TEN. Material and Methods: In this retrospective study, the death statistical records over a period of 10 years from April 2003 to March 2013 were analyzed. Results: There were 22 deaths in the dermatology department in the 10-year period from April 2003 to March 2013; 5 were due to SJS, 5 were due to TEN, and the remaining 12 were due to causes other than SJS or TEN. Of the 10 (due to SJS or TEN), 6 were female and 4 were male patients. Their ages ranged from 14 years to 69 years. Conclusion: In our study, we found that the antimicrobials were implicated as the offending drugs in majority of the cases. Our study also showed that some of the patients who were in the 1 st ,2 nd and 3 rd decades of life with