Author/Authors :
Ahmad Nasir, Suraya Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery - Faculty of Dentistry - UKM and UKM Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia , Lan Tan, Huann Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery - Faculty of Dentistry - UKM and UKM Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia , Jan Tan, Hui Department of Medicine - Faculty of Medicine - UKM Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia , Mohd Hussaini, Haizal Department of Oral Diagnostic and Surgical Sciences - Faculty of Dentistry - University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand , Ramli, Roszalina Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery - Faculty of Dentistry - UKM and UKM Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Abstract :
Failure to screen susceptible individuals for human leucocyte allele B∗1502 leads to the onset of Stevens-Johnson syndrome
(SJS). We report a case of a 27-year-old Malay female who was treated with carbamazepine following the diagnosis of trigeminal
neuralgia without a genetic screening. She was prescribed 150 mg of carbamazepine initially and the dose was increased to 300 mg
following the initial dose. A sudden development of skin and mucous membrane ulcers was observed and this warranted immediate
hospitalization. A diagnosis of SJS was made and she was treated immediately with intravenous corticosteroids. Genetic screening
prior to carbamazepine prescription is essential especially in susceptible populations.
