A severe cutaneous adverse reaction or SCAR is a very rare, clinically heterogeneous, and life‐threatening phenomenon. It results in severe skin damage, significant morbidity or mortality comprising SJS or Stevens‐Johnson syndrome, systemic complications, toxic epidermal necrolysis, or SJS‐TEN overlap acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis, exfoliative dermatitis, and drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms. The researchers conducted a retrospective study on all cases related to SCAR admitted in a tertiary care referral hospital from January 2015 to December 2019. They retrieved all clinical and epidemiological details from the records of patients as per predesigned proforma. The data collected were analyzed and statistically evaluated.
A total of 142 patients, including 67 males, 75 females with SCARs, constituting 0.08% of total hospital admission and 0.027% of the entire dermatology outpatient department (OPD), were studied. The age group ranged from 2 to 61 years, with an average age of 33.6 years. SCAR has a considerable disease burden with marginal female preponderance in SJS/TEN and exfoliative dermatitis and can involve even the pediatric population. Anticonvulsants followed by antibiotics, NSAIDs, and ayurvedic medicines are common groups known to cause SCARs. To date, there are no definitive recommendations regarding their optimal treatment regimen. Hence early diagnosis, prompt withdrawal of culprit drug, high standard of nursing care, and interdisciplinary consultations are vital steps to avoid disease progression and restore health.
Ref: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijd.15416
