Toxic shock syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis? Case reports showing clinical similarity and histologic separation.
A case of toxic shock syndrome and a case of drug-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis with renal involvement are described. The two patients had similar early clinical manifestations and therefore posed a difficult differential diagnosis. Diagnostic distinction is important because therapy differs considerably. A skin biopsy in each case proved helpful in establishing the correct diagnosis, since there appears to be a different histologic pattern for each condition: superficial perivascular dermatitis for toxic shock syndrome and an interface dermatitis for toxic epidermal necrolysis.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D013262:Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology