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Stevens-Johnson syndrome: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Syndrome Stephen-Johnson - an acute disease that has a severe course and causes the formation of blisters on the skin and mucous membranes. The syndrome of Stephen-Johnson is found most often in young people, and men get sick more often than women.
What Causes Stephen-Johnson Syndrome?
The exact cause of the development of Stephen-Johnson syndrome is unknown, but it is likely that it may be a perverse immune response. The most common and fast acting factor is hypersensitivity to medications or viral infections. The main manifestation of Stephen-Johnson syndrome is acute vasculitis, which damages the skin and mucous mucus in all patients and conjunctiva in 90% of patients. Syndrome Stephen-Johnson self-limiting process: after the acute stage, most patients recover, and the functions of damaged tissues are restored.
Symptoms of Stephen-Johnson Syndrome
The syndrome of Stephen-Johnson is manifested by fever, malaise, sore throat, cough and arthralgia are possible, which lasts up to 2 weeks. Scabby eyelids and self-transmitted papillary conjunctivitis are the most common symptoms of Stephen-Johnson syndrome.
Heavy membranous or pseudomembranous conjunctivitis with the appearance of limited conjunctival infarcts and the appearance of fibrosis sites is less common.
After an acute phase of the syndrome of Stephen-Johnson, scarring does not occur.
Complications of Stephen-Johnson Syndrome
- Simblefaron and keratinization.
- Lachrymation, which is caused by blockage of lacrimal points.
- "Dry" eye as a result of impaired function of the lacrimal gland or blockade of the tubules.
- Secondary keratopathy due to cicatricial turn of the eyelid, improper growth of eyelashes or keratinization of the conjunctiva.
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Treatment of Stephen-Johnson Syndrome
Treatment of the syndrome of Stephen-Johnson is the use of systemic co-tricosteroids. Acyclovir is prescribed if the cause of the development of the Stephen-Johnson syndrome is the herpes simplex virus.
Local use of corticosteroids starts early and is used throughout the disease to treat vasculitis and prevent the formation of conjunctival necrosis areas.
The scleral ring, which consists of a large contact lens without a central zone, can be successfully used to prevent the development of the symphobaron during the acute phase of the disease. Other treatments for Stephen-Johnson syndrome include topical application of retinoic acid to prevent the development of keratinization, substitute tears, therapeutic contact lenses, as well as lacrimal occlusion and surgical correction of permanent deformities