Title
Toxic epidermal necrolysis in an adolescent with Bipolar Disorder II and treated with Lamotrigine
Other title
Necrólisis epidérmica tóxica en una adolescente diagnosticada de trastorno bipolar II y tratada con lamotrigina.
Date Issued
01 June 2021
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Publisher(s)
Sociedad de Neurologia Psiquiatria y Neurocirugia
Abstract
Toxic epidermal necrolysis is a severe skin disease, most often triggered as an adverse drug reaction, with high morbidity and mortality. Lamotrigine, together with other mood stabilizer drugs, constitutes the most frequent drug that causes this complication, which consists of necrosis and detachment of the epidermis and mucosa in more than 30% of the body surface, with the consequent loss of water and electrolytes, systemic inflammatory response, susceptibility to infections and even sepsis, in addition to other possible ominous sequelae. Currently, the diagnosis of bipolar disorder is made more frequently, including the age group of children and adolescents, but such a diagnostic process is characterized by difficulties and controversies to a greater extent than other psychiatric diagnoses. This requires meticulous diagnostic process and pharmacological selection, with full knowledge of the molecules in the drug arsenal so, in case of lamotrigine prescription, it should be established scrupulous psychoeducation to the patient and their family members, as well as strict and close follow-up. A propos of the case of an adolescent girl diagnosed with bipolar II disorder, who received lamotrigine during a depressive episode but with an inappropriate posology, and developed toxic epidermal necrolysis, we reviewed and commented on the corresponding literature. We conclude that extreme caution is necessary when deciding the use of lamotrigine to minimize the risk of this severe adverse effect.
Start page
159
End page
167
Volume
59
Issue
2
Language
Spanish
OCDE Knowledge area
Psicología (incluye relaciones hombre-máquina)
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85110197807
Source
Revista Chilena de Neuro-Psiquiatria
ISSN of the container
00347388
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus