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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, Topical Steroid Withdrawal Syndrome (TSWS), also | ||||||
| 3 | known as Topical Steroid Addiction or Red Skin Syndrome, is a | ||||||
| 4 | severe, debilitating condition that can arise from intentional | ||||||
| 5 | or unintentional exposure to topical steroids; and | ||||||
| 6 | WHEREAS, Topical steroids are widely prescribed and | ||||||
| 7 | purchased over the counter to treat acute as well as chronic | ||||||
| 8 | skin conditions, including eczema, psoriasis, vitiligo, and | ||||||
| 9 | alopecia areata; and | ||||||
| 10 | WHEREAS, TSWS is characterized by skin flushing, | ||||||
| 11 | inflammation, diffuse spreading rashes, profuse skin flaking, | ||||||
| 12 | and burning and itching worse than the original condition, and | ||||||
| 13 | these symptoms typically appear after use of topical steroid | ||||||
| 14 | treatments, between treatments, or after discontinuing topical | ||||||
| 15 | steroids; and | ||||||
| 16 | WHEREAS, It can take several months to several years for | ||||||
| 17 | symptoms to subside, leaving some TSWS sufferers bedridden and | ||||||
| 18 | housebound, unable to work, care for children, or attend | ||||||
| 19 | school; and | ||||||
| 20 | WHEREAS, A prolonged withdrawal and recovery period for | ||||||
| 21 | TSWS can take a significant toll on both patients' mental | ||||||
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| 1 | health and physical health, with 81% of adults and 56% of | ||||||
| 2 | children experiencing TSWS reporting feeling anxious and/or | ||||||
| 3 | depressed and 47% of adults and 11% of children experiencing | ||||||
| 4 | TSWS reporting suicidal ideation; and | ||||||
| 5 | WHEREAS, The prevalence of topical steroid addiction is | ||||||
| 6 | unknown due to a scarcity of published research, and the | ||||||
| 7 | limited research on TSWS impedes efforts to define diagnostic | ||||||
| 8 | criteria for the condition, understand its causes, mechanics, | ||||||
| 9 | and effects, develop appropriate treatment protocols, and | ||||||
| 10 | educate providers and patients about TSWS and steroid | ||||||
| 11 | stewardship; and | ||||||
| 12 | WHEREAS, A lack of awareness of and education about TSWS | ||||||
| 13 | among patients and providers can lead to friction between | ||||||
| 14 | them, causing patients to question their providers' medical | ||||||
| 15 | oversight and providers to suspect their patients of | ||||||
| 16 | medication non-compliance and, occasionally, parental neglect; | ||||||
| 17 | and | ||||||
| 18 | WHEREAS, All parties would benefit greatly from awareness | ||||||
| 19 | and prevention education on the signs of topical steroid | ||||||
| 20 | dependence and the risks of TSWS; therefore, be it | ||||||
| 21 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 22 | HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
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| 1 | we recognize February 3, 2025 as Topical Steroid Withdrawal | ||||||
| 2 | Syndrome Awareness Day to bring attention to Topical Steroid | ||||||
| 3 | Withdrawal Syndrome (TSWS). | ||||||