The complications of Steven Johnson Syndrome includes? (a) Untreated sepsis (b) Kerato conjunctivitis (c) Conjunctival retraction (d) Corneal lesions

1. A

   a, b, c

2. B

   b, c, d

3. C

   a, c, d

4. D

   a, b, c, d

Appeared in: AIIMS Raipur NO - 2017 (Shift-1)

Explanation

• Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is a severe mucocutaneous reaction characterized by epidermal detachment, creating a high risk for systemic and localized complications.
• The loss of the skin barrier makes sepsis a primary and often fatal complication due to the high risk of infection.
• Ocular involvement is a hallmark of SJS, progressing from initial inflammation (keratoconjunctivitis) to long-term scarring and damage (conjunctival retraction, corneal lesions).
• All four listed conditions—sepsis, keratoconjunctivitis, conjunctival retraction, and corneal lesions—are recognized, severe outcomes of SJS.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option A: This option is incorrect because it is incomplete. It omits corneal lesions (d), which is a significant and vision-threatening complication of SJS.
• Option B: This option is incorrect because it is incomplete. It omits untreated sepsis (a), which is the leading cause of death in patients with SJS.
• Option C: This option is incorrect because it is incomplete. It omits keratoconjunctivitis (b), which is the initial and principal eye complication that leads to further ocular damage.

Related Visual

• Visual 1: Clinical Photo - An image showing the characteristic skin lesions and severe ocular and oral mucositis in a patient with SJS. This helps visualize the severity of the condition.
• Visual 2: Diagram - A flowchart illustrating the progression of ocular complications in SJS, starting from keratoconjunctivitis and leading to conjunctival retraction, corneal lesions, and potential blindness.
• Visual 3: Infographic - An infographic summarizing the key systemic (sepsis, dehydration) and mucosal (ocular, oral, genital) complications of SJS.

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: Knowing Complications of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
• Nurses must maintain strict aseptic technique during all care activities for SJS patients to prevent sepsis, the leading cause of death.
• Meticulous and regular eye care, including lubrication and assessment by an ophthalmologist, is critical to prevent irreversible vision loss from complications like conjunctival retraction and corneal scarring.
• What if? - If a patient on a high-risk medication (like certain antibiotics or anticonvulsants) develops a fever and a rash with mucosal involvement, the nurse's priority is to withhold the medication (if possible) and immediately notify the provider, as this could be the onset of SJS.

How to Approach the Question

• First, identify the core concept of the question, which is the 'complications of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome'.
• This is a 'multiple-correct' or 'select-all-that-apply' style question formatted into single-choice options. The task is to evaluate each individual statement (a, b, c, d).
• Evaluate statement (a) 'Untreated sepsis'. Recall or deduce that widespread skin loss breaks the body's primary defense, making infection and sepsis highly likely. This is true.
• Evaluate statements (b), (c), and (d) related to the eyes. Recall that SJS severely affects mucous membranes, including the eyes. Keratoconjunctivitis (inflammation), conjunctival retraction (scarring), and corneal lesions (damage) represent a logical progression of severe ocular disease. All are true.
• Since statements a, b, c, and d are all correct, look for the option that includes all four.
• Select the option 'a, b, c, d' as it correctly identifies all the listed complications.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Complications of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS)
• Stem keywords: complications, Steven Johnson Syndrome
• Lead-in keywords: includes

Question ID

QS76_yZzCQ-YBBJT3PRW95

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