With so many cases of Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TENS) being diagnosed, many people were starting to wonder if there would ever be a way to predict who may be more susceptible to the worst parts of the condition. Fortunately, a recent study is showing promise in being able to predict the worsening of the disease.

The small Japanese study shows that a rapid immunochromatographic test for serum granulysin may be able to predict whether a patient is more likely to have a severe case of SJS or TENS. The reason why this study was so important is because drug reactions that are common in the earliest stages of SJS and TENS often resemble less-life-threatening drug eruptions like erythema multiforme before they quickly turn into the more life-threatening state.

Since doctor and drug intervention may change the course of SJS and TENS from bad to life-threatening, it would be a great deal of help if doctors were able to predict which patients’ conditions have the potential to get worse beforehand. The membrane-disrupting protein granulysin can be discovered inside of the blisters on SJS and TENS patients. According to information about the study, “since the results of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) are not immediately available, an immunochromatographic test that correlates well with ELISA was developed.”

Japanese investigators decided to compare serum granulysin in SJS and TENS patients that have normal drug eruptions, and also healthy controls. The immunochromatographic testing was able to find “higher levels in 4 out of 5 of the SJS and TENS patients, 1 of 24 simple-drug-eruption patients, and 0 of 31 controls.” It should be noted that granulysin levels didn’t correlate with how bad the blistering skin was. For now, there is still no test that can accurately predict who is more likely to get the disease in the first place.

If you are suffering from SJS, contact attorney Greg Jones today for a free consultation. I may be able to help you recover money for your injuries.