title: Toxic epidermal necrolysis treated with N-acetylcysteine.
abstract: Adverse drug reactions are the major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Cutaneous drug reaction is the most common type of adverse reaction. Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a rare, life-threatening mucocutaneous disease, usually attributable to drugs. There is no proven therapy for TEN. The mainstay of therapy is immediate withdrawal of the culprit drug, using disease-modifying agents, and meticulous supportive care. Several disease-modifying agents have been used such as steroid, i.v. human immunoglobulin (IVIg), plasmapheresis. A 10-year-old epileptic girl was admitted with lamotrigine-induced TEN. She was unresponsive to steroid. Her condition deteriorated despite IVIg treatment. She was treated with N-acetylcysteine (NAC). To our knowledge this is the first report of a child with TEN, a potentially lethal disorder, treated with NAC. NAC may be effective for children with TEN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medical Faculty, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Haluk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yavuz
authors.forename: Melike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Emiroglu
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013262:Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000111:Acetylcysteine
keywords: N-acetylcysteine; cutaneous drug reaction; i.v. human immunoglobulin; lamotrigine; toxic epidermal necrolysis