title: Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS): effectiveness of corticosteroids in management and recurrent SJS.
abstract: To confirm that corticosteroids are beneficial in the treatment of Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), 15 patients with the syndrome were evaluated by the same group of physicians over 2 years. All patients had cutaneous and most had mucosal lesions. Patients were treated with corticosteroids ranging from prednisone 40 mg daily to methylprednisolone 750 mg daily. The same group of physicians participated in the management of these patients until recovery. No deaths occurred among the 15 patients. Recovery was complete in all cases, and there was no residual skin, mucosal, or visceral damage except for minimal scarring in one patient. In some cases, reversal of disease after onset of corticosteroid therapy was sufficiently dramatic to demonstrate a benefit. The use of corticosteroids in the treatment of SJS remains controversial. We conclude that corticosteroids are beneficial in treatment of the syndrome. They may be lifesaving in some patients and should be the standard of therapy. SJS should be considered to be erythema multiforme with either bullous lesions or visceral involvement or both.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Grammer
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Greenberger
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Zeiss
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Detjen
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ganz
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Orfan
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Sonenthal
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D013262:Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones