A Review of the Active Treatments for Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a severe adverse drug reaction associated with the separation of skin and mucous membranes at the dermal-epidermal junction. Although it is rare, many treatments have been trialed because of its high mortality rate. Active interventions performed to date include the use of systemic corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg), cyclosporine, plasmapheresis, anti-tumor necrosis factor drugs and N-acetylcysteine, but none has been established as the most effective therapy. IVIg and short-term high-dose corticosteroids were regarded as the most promising treatments for TEN in a comprehensive review of all reported TEN cases from 1975-2003. When used with an appropriate dose and timing, the beneficial effects of IVIg can be maximized. Although no randomized controlled trials have been conducted, cyclosporine and plasmapheresis are considered to be beneficial. As no gold standard for active intervention for TEN has been established, the choice of treatment relies partly on the available guidelines and the experience of the dermatologist. There is still much to be investigated regarding the pathogenesis of TEN, and new findings may contribute to the identification of an effective active intervention strategy.