Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Review of Diagnosis and Management

Robert Frantz; Simo Huang; Abhirup Are; Kiran Motaparthi

doi:10.3390/medicina57090895

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Review of Diagnosis and Management

Medicina (Kaunas). 2021 Aug 28;57(9):895. doi: 10.3390/medicina57090895.

Authors

Robert Frantz¹, Simo Huang², Abhirup Are¹, Kiran Motaparthi^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32606, USA.
² Department of Dermatology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.
³ Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32606, USA.

Abstract

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) are rare diseases that are characterized by widespread epidermal necrosis and sloughing of skin. They are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and early diagnosis and treatment is critical in achieving favorable outcomes for patients. In this scoping review, Excerpta Medica dataBASE and PubMed were searched for publications that addressed recent advances in the diagnosis and management of the disease. Multiple proteins (galectin 7 and RIP3) were identified that are promising potential biomarkers for SJS/TEN, although both are still in early phases of research. Regarding treatment, cyclosporine is the most effective therapy for the treatment of SJS, and a combination of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) and corticosteroids is most effective for SJS/TEN overlap and TEN. Due to the rare nature of the disease, there is a lack of prospective, randomized controlled trials and conducting these in the future would provide valuable insights into the management of this disease.

Keywords: Stevens–Johnson Syndrome; Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis; cutaneous adverse drug reactions.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Adrenal Cortex Hormones / therapeutic use
Cyclosporine / therapeutic use
Humans
Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / therapeutic use
Skin
Stevens-Johnson Syndrome* / diagnosis
Stevens-Johnson Syndrome* / drug therapy

Substances

Adrenal Cortex Hormones
Immunoglobulins, Intravenous
Cyclosporine