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Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a rare, life-threatening, delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction characterized by <10% body surface area (BSA) epidermal detachment with mucosal erosions, most commonly triggered by medications. [1-2] SJS and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) exist on a spectrum: SJS (<10% BSA), SJS-TEN overlap (10–30%), and TEN (>30%). [1-2] Incidence is approximately 1–6 cases per million per year, with mortality of ~10% for SJS and up to 50% for TEN. [2-3]
The following figure illustrates the clinical classification spectrum from erythema multiforme to TEN:
1. History
2. Alarm Features
3. Medications
High-risk causative drugs: [2][5][12]
Treatment medications: [1][5][14-15]
Key principle: Immediate withdrawal of the culprit drug is the single most important intervention and is associated with decreased mortality. [2][17]
4. Diet
5. Review of Systems
6. Collateral History and Family History
7. Risk Factors
8. Differential Diagnosis
9. Past Medical History
10. Physical Exam
11. Lab Studies
12. Imaging
13. Special Tests
14. ECG
15. Assessment
The following figure shows the frequency of long-term sequelae in SJS/TEN survivors:
16. Treatment Plan
Immediate stabilization: [5][8][31]
Systemic therapy (no consensus on optimal agent): [1][14-15][31]
17. Disposition
All patients with suspected SJS/TEN require inpatient admission: [5][8][11]
Specialist consultations: [11][13]
18. Follow Up / Return Precautions
Return precautions / patient counseling:
1. Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions to Drugs. — Duong TA, Valeyrie-Allanore L, Wolkenstein P, Chosidow O. Lancet. 2017.
2. Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions to Drugs. — Duong TA, Valeyrie-Allanore L, Wolkenstein P, Chosidow O. Lancet. 2017.
3. Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions to Drugs. — Duong TA, Valeyrie-Allanore L, Wolkenstein P, Chosidow O. Lancet. 2017.
4. Worldwide Prevalence of Antibiotic-Associated Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. — Lee EY, Knox C, Phillips EJ. JAMA Dermatology. 2023.
5. Worldwide Prevalence of Antibiotic-Associated Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. — Lee EY, Knox C, Phillips EJ. JAMA Dermatology. 2023.
6. Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis. — National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus) 2020.
7. Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis. — National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus) 2020.
8. Correlations Between Clinical Patterns and Causes of Erythema Multiforme Majus, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: Results of an International Prospective Study. — Auquier-Dunant A, Mockenhaupt M, Naldi L, et al. Archives of Dermatology. 2002.
9. Correlations Between Clinical Patterns and Causes of Erythema Multiforme Majus, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: Results of an International Prospective Study. — Auquier-Dunant A, Mockenhaupt M, Naldi L, et al. Archives of Dermatology. 2002.
10. Current Perspectives on Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. — Lerch M, Mainetti C, Terziroli Beretta-Piccoli B, Harr T. Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology. 2018.
11. Current Perspectives on Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. — Lerch M, Mainetti C, Terziroli Beretta-Piccoli B, Harr T. Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology. 2018.
12. Severe Adverse Cutaneous Reactions to Drugs. — Roujeau JC, Stern RS. The New England Journal of Medicine. 1994.
13. Severe Adverse Cutaneous Reactions to Drugs. — Roujeau JC, Stern RS. The New England Journal of Medicine. 1994.
14. Infantile Stevens Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis: A systematic review of clinical features and outcomes in children ages 12 months and under. — Iriarte C, Karim SA, Nassim JS, Grenier PO, Massey KJ. Pediatric Dermatology. 2022.
15. Infantile Stevens Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis: A systematic review of clinical features and outcomes in children ages 12 months and under. — Iriarte C, Karim SA, Nassim JS, Grenier PO, Massey KJ. Pediatric Dermatology. 2022.
16. High Risk and Low Prevalence Diseases: Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. — van Nispen C, Long B, Koyfman A. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2024.
17. High Risk and Low Prevalence Diseases: Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. — van Nispen C, Long B, Koyfman A. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2024.
18. Updates on the Ocular Manifestations and Treatment of SJS/TEN. — Sotozono C, Ueta M. Allergology International : Official Journal of the Japanese Society of Allergology. 2025.
19. Updates on the Ocular Manifestations and Treatment of SJS/TEN. — Sotozono C, Ueta M. Allergology International : Official Journal of the Japanese Society of Allergology. 2025.
20. Japan: Diagnosis and Management of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis With Severe Ocular Complications. — Sotozono C, Ueta M, Kinoshita S. Frontiers in Medicine. 2021.
21. Japan: Diagnosis and Management of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis With Severe Ocular Complications. — Sotozono C, Ueta M, Kinoshita S. Frontiers in Medicine. 2021.
22. Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Standard Reporting and Evaluation Guidelines: Results of a National Institutes of Health Working Group. — Maverakis E, Wang EA, Shinkai K, et al. JAMA Dermatology. 2017.
23. Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Standard Reporting and Evaluation Guidelines: Results of a National Institutes of Health Working Group. — Maverakis E, Wang EA, Shinkai K, et al. JAMA Dermatology. 2017.
24. Drug-Induced Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Ten-Year Retrospective Study of 103 Cases. — Zhou L, Lu Y, Zou Y, et al. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology. 2025.
25. Drug-Induced Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Ten-Year Retrospective Study of 103 Cases. — Zhou L, Lu Y, Zou Y, et al. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology. 2025.
26. Management of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Related Toxicities. — Updated 2025-10-23. National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
27. Management of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Related Toxicities. — Updated 2025-10-23. National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
28. Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Review of Current Management and Innovative Therapies. — Martinez Villarreal JD, Cardenas-de la Garza JA, Ionescu MA, et al. International Journal of Dermatology. 2025.
29. Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Review of Current Management and Innovative Therapies. — Martinez Villarreal JD, Cardenas-de la Garza JA, Ionescu MA, et al. International Journal of Dermatology. 2025.
30. Recent Developments in the Research of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment. — Yao LM, Su X, Liu LL, et al. European Journal of Medical Research. 2025.
31. Recent Developments in the Research of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment. — Yao LM, Su X, Liu LL, et al. European Journal of Medical Research. 2025.
32. Systemic Interventions for Treatment of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), and SJS/TEN Overlap Syndrome. — Jacobsen A, Olabi B, Langley A, et al. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2022.
33. Systemic Interventions for Treatment of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), and SJS/TEN Overlap Syndrome. — Jacobsen A, Olabi B, Langley A, et al. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2022.
34. Assessment of Treatment Approaches and Outcomes in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: Insights From a Pan-European Multicenter Study. — Kridin K, Brüggen MC, Chua SL, et al. JAMA Dermatology. 2021.
35. Assessment of Treatment Approaches and Outcomes in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: Insights From a Pan-European Multicenter Study. — Kridin K, Brüggen MC, Chua SL, et al. JAMA Dermatology. 2021.
36. Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson Syndrome: A Review. — Gerull R, Nelle M, Schaible T. Critical Care Medicine. 2011.
37. Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson Syndrome: A Review. — Gerull R, Nelle M, Schaible T. Critical Care Medicine. 2011.
38. Long-term Physical and Psychological Outcomes of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. — Hoffman M, Chansky PB, Bashyam AR, et al. JAMA Dermatology. 2021.
39. Long-term Physical and Psychological Outcomes of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. — Hoffman M, Chansky PB, Bashyam AR, et al. JAMA Dermatology. 2021.
40. Updates on the Immunopathology and Genomics of Severe Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions. — Gibson A, Deshpande P, Campbell CN, et al. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2023.
41. Updates on the Immunopathology and Genomics of Severe Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions. — Gibson A, Deshpande P, Campbell CN, et al. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2023.
42. Clinical Pharmacogenomic Testing and Reporting: A Technical Standard of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). — Tayeh MK, Gaedigk A, Goetz MP, et al. Genetics in Medicine : Official Journal of the American College of Medical Genetics. 2022.
43. Clinical Pharmacogenomic Testing and Reporting: A Technical Standard of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). — Tayeh MK, Gaedigk A, Goetz MP, et al. Genetics in Medicine : Official Journal of the American College of Medical Genetics. 2022.
44. HLA-B*58:01 and Risk of Allopurinol-Induced Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions in the US. — Campbell CN, Krantz MS, Yu A, Phillips EJ, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (SJS/TEN) Survivor Study Collaborators. JAMA Dermatology. 2025.
45. HLA-B*58:01 and Risk of Allopurinol-Induced Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions in the US. — Campbell CN, Krantz MS, Yu A, Phillips EJ, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (SJS/TEN) Survivor Study Collaborators. JAMA Dermatology. 2025.
46. Diagnosis and Management of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. — Noe MH, Micheletti RG. Clinics in Dermatology. 2020.
47. Diagnosis and Management of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. — Noe MH, Micheletti RG. Clinics in Dermatology. 2020.
48. Predictive Value of a Severity-of-Illness Score for Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (SCORTEN) Factors for in-Hospital Mortality in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. — Nikitina E, Dushkin A, Streltsov Y, et al. Frontiers in Medicine. 2025.
49. Predictive Value of a Severity-of-Illness Score for Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (SCORTEN) Factors for in-Hospital Mortality in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. — Nikitina E, Dushkin A, Streltsov Y, et al. Frontiers in Medicine. 2025.
50. Improvement of Mortality Prognostication in Patients With Epidermal Necrolysis: The Role of Novel Inflammatory Markers and Proposed Revision of SCORTEN (Re-SCORTEN). — Koh HK, Fook-Chong SMC, Lee HY. JAMA Dermatology. 2022.
51. Improvement of Mortality Prognostication in Patients With Epidermal Necrolysis: The Role of Novel Inflammatory Markers and Proposed Revision of SCORTEN (Re-SCORTEN). — Koh HK, Fook-Chong SMC, Lee HY. JAMA Dermatology. 2022.
52. SCORTEN and Novel Prognostic Markers in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. — Liu ZF, Yang H, Lin L, et al. The Australasian Journal of Dermatology. 2026.
53. SCORTEN and Novel Prognostic Markers in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. — Liu ZF, Yang H, Lin L, et al. The Australasian Journal of Dermatology. 2026.
54. Risk of Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Survivors. — Chiu HY, Chiu YM. JAMA Dermatology. 2025.
55. Risk of Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Survivors. — Chiu HY, Chiu YM. JAMA Dermatology. 2025.
56. Accuracy of SCORTEN to Predict the Prognosis of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. — Torres-Navarro I, Briz-Redón Á, Botella-Estrada R. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV. 2020.
57. Accuracy of SCORTEN to Predict the Prognosis of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. — Torres-Navarro I, Briz-Redón Á, Botella-Estrada R. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV. 2020.
58. Assessment and Comparison of Performance of ABCD-10 and SCORTEN in Prognostication of Epidermal Necrolysis. — Koh HK, Fook-Chong S, Lee HY. JAMA Dermatology. 2020.
59. Assessment and Comparison of Performance of ABCD-10 and SCORTEN in Prognostication of Epidermal Necrolysis. — Koh HK, Fook-Chong S, Lee HY. JAMA Dermatology. 2020.
60. Performance of ABCD-10 and SCORTEN Mortality Prediction Models in a Cohort of Patients With Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. — Duplisea MJ, Roberson ML, Chrisco L, et al. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2021.
61. Performance of ABCD-10 and SCORTEN Mortality Prediction Models in a Cohort of Patients With Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. — Duplisea MJ, Roberson ML, Chrisco L, et al. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2021.
62. Diagnosing and Managing Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis in Adults: Review of Evidence 2017-2023. — Ingen-Housz-Oro S, Matei I, Gaillet A, et al. The Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2025.
63. Diagnosing and Managing Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis in Adults: Review of Evidence 2017-2023. — Ingen-Housz-Oro S, Matei I, Gaillet A, et al. The Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2025.
64. Chronic Ocular Complications in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: Clinical Features and Surgical Management in a Brazilian Tertiary Center. — de Alcântara RJA, Wakamatsu TH, Hirai FE, et al. Cornea. 2025.
65. Chronic Ocular Complications in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: Clinical Features and Surgical Management in a Brazilian Tertiary Center. — de Alcântara RJA, Wakamatsu TH, Hirai FE, et al. Cornea. 2025.