title: Intravenous immunoglobulins and plasmapheresis combined treatment in patients with severe toxic epidermal necrolysis: preliminary report.
abstract: Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is an acute drug-induced life-threatening disorder characterised by extensive epidermal exfoliation and high rate of mortality. Between October 2000 and April 2003, five severe TEN patients were evaluated using a specific TEN severity-of-illness scale (SCORTEN) and treated for the first time, with a combined therapy using Intravenous Human Immunoglobulins (IVIG) and plasmapheresis. The standardised mortality ratio (SMR) analysis ([Sigma observed deaths/Sigma expected deaths]x100) was applied to establish how IVIG and plasmapheresis treatment could reduce TEN patient mortality. The observed mortality was one out of five patients corresponding to 20%. The expected mortality based on SCORTEN was 3.319 corresponding to 66%. The SMR analysis revealed a 70% reduction in mortality (SMR=0.30; 95% confidence interval, 0.0-0.96). Our series show a low mortality rate (20%) related to the severity of the patients (66% expected mortality). The use of IVIG in association with plasmapheresis has a rational basis and may be effective in severe TEN patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit, University of Sassari, S. Annunziata Hospital, 07100 Sassari, Sardinia, Italy. mariolissia@hotmail.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lissia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Figus
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rubino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010956:Plasmapheresis / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013262:Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous