[Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis treated with intravenous immunoglobulins].
Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are part of the same disease spectrum, but are differentiated by the degree of skin detachment. In TEN, more than 30 % of the body's surface area is affected; thus, it is a serious process, whose frequency is estimated at 1.2-6 cases per million population/year. We describe the case of a 75-year-old male who suffered from SJS which evolved into TEN, probably because of the ingestion of ginkgo biloba extract. He was treated with intravenous immunoglobulins (Ig IV) at a dose of 0.5 g/kg/day for five consecutive days, with favorable progress and no significant side effects. It is evident that isolated cases do not justify the systematic use of this treatment, but they may help build up experience.
Unidad de Dermatología, Hospital Virgen de la Concha, Zamora, Spain. manuelayuste@hotmail.com
Manuela
M
Yuste
Juan
J
Sánchez-Estella
Juan C
JC
Santos
María Teresa
MT
Alonso
María Teresa
MT
Bordel
José L
JL
Gutiérrez
Tomás
T
Zamora
D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D013262:Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*
D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D007155:Immunologic Factors