Carbamazepine Induced Stevens Johnson Syndrome - A Case Report

Carbamazepine is considered to be the first-line treatment for trigeminal neuralgia. It may rarely lead to complications like Stevens Johnson syndrome (SJS). Initially thought to be a dose-independent, idiosyncratic, unpredictable adverse event specific to an individual, SJS is now considered a delayed hypersensitivity immune reaction involving human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles specific for carbamazepine and other drugs in defined populations. In the present case, carbamazepine was immediately withdrawn upon diagnosis of SJS and the patient was managed conservatively using corticosteroids and oral anti-histaminic agents.