Five years of a single burn center experience with toxic epidermal necrolysis: retrospective study of causative drugs and the clinical outcome

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are rare, but potentially life-threatening reactions to medications. Both conditions have significant morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to document the epidemiological features, aetiologies, treatment and clinical outcomes of such patients. In this retrospective cross-sectional study the records of all patients with TEN treated for5 years in central Hospital, Mashhad, Iran were reviewed. Thirty-four patients were studied with a mean age of 26.5 years. Mean age in the mortality and survivors groups was 33.6 and 25.3 years, respectively. Drugs accounted for all 34 cases were including Anti-convulsants (52.9%) other the most common implicated drug followed by antibiotics (26.5%), allopurinol (5.9%) and multiple drugs (anticonvulsants plus antibiotics) (14.7%). Antibiotics had the shortest interval between ingestion time and onset of symptoms. The mean ICU length of stay was 12.7 days, with a range of 1 to 30 days. The mean of SCORTEN was 2.3; it was 3.3 and 2.1 in the mortality and survivors group, respectively (P=0.001).All 34 TEN cases were given intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG). Six patients with TEN died (17.6%). The highest mortality was found in the allopurinol group with 50%, whereas anticonvulsants and antibiotics had a mortality rate of 16.6% and 15.3%, respectively. Anti-convulsants especially Lamotrigine were the most frequently implicated drug, followed by antibiotics and allopurinol. IVIG was shown beneficial effects in TEN syndrome.