Combined use of cyclosporine in the treatment of Stevens–Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis

• Published in: Journal of dermatology 2022-06, Vol.49 (6), p.629-636
• Main Authors: Yu, Rentao, Chen, Shuang, Pan, Yun, Ma, Chunrong, Hu, Li, Chen, Aijun, Wei, Bin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: body surface area detached; Clinical outcomes; cyclosporine; Cyclosporins; Disseminated infection; Drug dosages; Glucocorticoids; Immunoglobulin G; Inhibitor drugs; Intravenous administration; Patients; Risk factors; SCORTEN; Side effects; Skin diseases; Stevens–Johnson syndrome; Toxic epidermal necrolysis
• ISSN: 0385-2407; 1346-8138
• DOI: 10.1111/1346-8138.16369

The exact efficacy of cyclosporine in the treatment of Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) still needs evidence from more clinical data. This study was designed to compare the effectiveness and side‐effects of combined use of cyclosporine in the treatment TEN with glucocorticoids (GC)/i.v. immunoglobulin G (IVIG). A total of 46 patients with SJS/TEN were enrolled and classified into two groups based on the therapeutic drugs used. Clinical characteristics, interventions, outcomes, and disease progressions were collected and compared between the two groups. In our cohort, seven patients eventually died and the overall fatality rate was 15.2%, but there was no difference between the two groups (p = 0.557). On discharge, the median SCORe of Toxic Epidermal Necrosis (SCORTEN) fell from 2.0 at admission to 1.0 and the median body surface area detached fell from 32.0% at admission to 9.5%. Patients in the cyclosporine group had a higher rate of re‐epithelialized area than patients in the non‐cyclosporine group (p