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Facing up to toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2010 Aug 13;

Authors: Piérard GE, Paquet P

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a rare but life-threatening mucocutaneous adverse drug reaction. The disease is characterized by a specific and extensive destruction of the epidermis and mucosal epithelia, particularly of the mouth, genitalia and eyes. The TEN pathomechanism is probably initiated by a toxic drug metabolism inside keratinocytes, leading to a self-activation of apoptosis and necrosis. These events are boosted by additional effects of T lymphocytes and macrophages. At present there is still a lack of validated mainstay treatment for TEN. However, a few treatment modalities have been reported to halt TEN progression in some patients.

PMID: 20707598 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Link to Abstract at PubMed