Introduction:
Steven-Johnson syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis are rare but life threatening severe
cutaneous adverse reactions to drugs. To determine the epidemiology of SJS, TEN and SJS/TEN
overlap in University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).
Methods:
All patients admitted to UMMC from year 2013-2015 for SJS, SJS/TEN, TEN were recruited. The
classification of SJS, SJS/TEN overlap and TEN was made based on the criteria laid down by Bastuji
et al.2
Results:
A total of 32 patients were recorded to have SJS, SJS/TEN overlap and TEN from 2013 to 2015. Drugs
(n=32, 86.49%) remained the most common aetiology of SJS and TEN. The top three commonest
drugs are allopurinol (n=6), followed by carbamazepine (n=5) and bactrim (n=3).
Conclusion:
This study demonstrates that drugs were the most common cause of SJS/TEN. Antibiotics were the
most common drug group that caused SJS/TEN. Awareness of the common etiology such as drug
is important and high index of suspicion of SJS and TEN is needed if patients were on the above
medications.