title: Corticosteroids in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis: current evidence and implications for future research.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the evidence for the use of steroids in adults presenting with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), or overlap.
  
  
  METHODS
  EMBASE (1974 to April 2014), MEDLINE (1946 to April 2014), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970 to January 2014) were searched using the terms: prednisone, methylprednisolone, dexamethasone, prednisolone, steroids, glucocorticoids, corticosteroids, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, and SJS/TEN overlap.
  
  
  METHODS
  English-language, full reports of experimental and observational studies were included. Bibliographies from pertinent publications were reviewed for additional references. Prespecified outcomes included survival, survival to discharge, hospitalization without intensive care, length of intensive care stay, duration of hospitalization, ophthalmological complications, infection rates, and adverse events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six studies that used steroids for SJS, TEN, and/or overlap were included. All studies were retrospective cohort studies with no case-control or cross-sectional studies; 5 studies reported on steroid doses, and 2 studies reported time from disease onset to steroid use (2-4 days). Only 1 of 6 studies reported a statistically significant impact on mortality with steroids use (odds ratio = 0.4; 95% CI = 0.2-0.9). Adverse event rates were not reported in any of the studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A review of the current evidence reveals a need for prospective, randomized controlled studies to provide more definitive conclusions on steroid use in patients with SJS, TEN, and/or overlap.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA elaw3@uic.edu.
authors.forename: Ernest H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Law
authors.affiliation: Surrey Memorial Hospital, Surrey, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: May
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000639:trends; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013262:Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D003907:Dexamethasone; D011239:Prednisolone; D011241:Prednisone
keywords: Stevens-Johnson; steroids; toxic epidermal necrolysis