title: Intravenous immunoglobulin use in patients with toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
abstract: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has been proposed as a treatment for toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS). A comprehensive search of the literature was conducted to examine the efficacy and safety of IVIg in TEN and SJS patients. Seventeen relevant articles (14 TEN, 3 SJS) were identified. Only three of the TEN studies and one of the SJS studies were prospective; retrospective studies were the most common study design published. Information regarding disease severity, IVIg use, response, and hospitalization were recorded and cumulated. Aggregate level statistics were calculated. The average IVIg doses used were 0.8 +/- 0.4 g/kg/day for a mean duration of 4.0 +/- 1.0 days in TEN patients and 0.8 +/- 0.2 g/kg/day for 3.4 +/- 1.0 days in SJS patients. The clinical experience of IVIg use in TEN and SJS patients was positive in most cases. However, more studies need to be conducted to confirm the benefit of IVIg use in patients with TEN or SJS.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. nicole.mittmann@sunnybrook.ca
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mittmann
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Knowles
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cosentino
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shear
mesh_terms: D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013262:Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous