Bronchiolitis obliterans is a fatal complication of Stevens–Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis in an adolescent with epilepsy treated with lamotrigine and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: clinical and morphological comparisons
- Authors: Ovsyannikov D.Y.1,2, Bykov I.A.3, Gitinov S.A.1,2, Asatryan S.P.2, Brunova O.Y.2, Valieva S.I.2,4, Gorev V.V.2,3, Davydov I.S.2, Deeva E.V.2, Zimin S.B.2, Kessel A.E.2, Malyshev O.G.1,2, Pampura A.N.3, Talalaev A.G.2, Tigay Z.G.1
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Affiliations:
- Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia
- Morozov Children’s City Clinical Hospital
- Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education
- The Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov
- Pages: 335-349
- Section: Case reports
- Submitted: 26.07.2025
- Accepted: 05.09.2025
- Published: 09.09.2025
- URL: https://rusalljournal.ru/raj/article/view/17043
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.36691/RJA17043
- ID: 17043
Cite item
Abstract
Bronchiolitis obliterans is a rare severe complication of Stevens–Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.
The article presents an observation of a fatal histologically confirmed bronchiolitis obliterans in a 16-year-old patient developed as a delayed complication of Stevens–Johnson syndrome after the use of lamotrigine and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The diagnosis of bronchiolitis obliterans was established based on the development of severe bronchoobstructive syndrome, confirmed by a study of the external respiratory function, chronic respiratory failure 2 months after Stevens–Johnson syndrome, characteristic computed tomography signs (foci of mosaic perfusion, bronchiectasis). Bronchiolitis obliterans therapy, in addition to commonly used drugs, included the janus kinase inhibitor tofacitinib.
To discuss clinical observation, a systematic review of the world literature over 45 years was conducted. 43 cases of post-Stevens–Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis were selected from 187 publications with an analysis of the etiology, timing of onset, spirometric and radiological signs, features of therapy and course. According to the analysis, the main triggers of Stevens–Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis were antibiotics (50 %) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (40 %), infection caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae (12 %), and less often anticonvulsants. The average age of children with bronchiolitis obliterans was 7 years, and the average age of adults was 28 years. In 50 % of cases, the manifestation of bronchiolitis obliterans occurred 1–3 months after the start of Stevens–Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis. Most patients (35 %) had severe bronchoobstructive syndrome, and characteristic computed tomography signs included mosaic perfusion (75 %) and bronchiectasis (49 %). Systemic (77 %) and inhaled (35 %) glucocorticosteroids, bronchodilators (63 %), and macrolide antibiotics (26 %) formed the basis of bronchiolitis obliterans therapy. Mortality in the analyzed cases reached 30 %, complete recovery was observed in only 33 %, and 35 % of patients retained persistent bronchoobstructive syndrome.
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About the authors
Dmitriy Yu. Ovsyannikov
Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia; Morozov Children’s City Clinical Hospital
Author for correspondence.
Email: mdovsyannikov@yahoo.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4961-384X
SPIN-code: 5249-5760
MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine), Professor
Россия, Moscow; MoscowIlya A. Bykov
Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education
Email: svgkofein@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2375-4625
SPIN-code: 3077-6589
MD
Россия, MoscowShamil A. Gitinov
Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia; Morozov Children’s City Clinical Hospital
Email: dr.gitinov@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6232-544X
SPIN-code: 7062-6008
MD
Россия, Moscow; MoscowSuzanna P. Asatryan
Morozov Children’s City Clinical Hospital
Email: syzanna_pavlovna@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1057-0536
SPIN-code: 3852-6705
MD
Россия, MoscowOlga Yu. Brunova
Morozov Children’s City Clinical Hospital
Email: oubrunova@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2158-6672
MD
Россия, MoscowSaniya I. Valieva
Morozov Children’s City Clinical Hospital; The Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov
Email: valieva.sania@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0009-6241-9142
SPIN-code: 2902-2501
MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine), Professor
Россия, Moscow; MoscowValeriy V. Gorev
Morozov Children’s City Clinical Hospital; Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education
Email: mdgkb@zdrav.mos.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-8272-3648
SPIN-code: 8944-9664
MD, Cand. Sci. (Medicine)
Россия, Moscow; MoscowIgor S. Davydov
Morozov Children’s City Clinical Hospital
Email: i@davidov41.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4019-3188
SPIN-code: 9402-2169
MD
Россия, MoscowEvgeniya V. Deeva
Morozov Children’s City Clinical Hospital
Email: evgenia.v.deeva@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0352-2563
SPIN-code: 9924-0270
MD, Cand. Sci. (Medicine)
Россия, MoscowSergey B. Zimin
Morozov Children’s City Clinical Hospital
Email: zimin-sb@rambler.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4514-8469
SPIN-code: 4363-1578
MD
Россия, MoscowAleksandr E. Kessel
Morozov Children’s City Clinical Hospital
Email: kesselae@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6012-250X
SPIN-code: 4748-1308
MD
Россия, MoscowOleg G. Malyshev
Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia; Morozov Children’s City Clinical Hospital
Email: omalyshev03@vk.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1174-0736
SPIN-code: 9251-5267
MD
Россия, Moscow; MoscowAleksandr N. Pampura
Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education
Email: apampura1@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5039-8473
SPIN-code: 9722-7961
MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine), Professor
Россия, MoscowAleksandr G. Talalaev
Morozov Children’s City Clinical Hospital
Email: talalaev@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0348-1925
SPIN-code: 9938-7840
MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine), Professor
Россия, MoscowZhanna G. Tigay
Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia
Email: shekz@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4994-7193
SPIN-code: 6302-3406
MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine), Professor
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