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Should corticosteroids be used to treat drug-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN)? The debate continues to rage. Because the question is difficult to answer directly, a group of investigators in France approached it indirectly. They reviewed 179 cases of TEN or TEN/Stevens-Johnson syndrome overlap admitted to their hospital between November 1972 and August 1991, comparing the 13 patients who had been on long-term steroid therapy (more than 10 mg of prednisone equivalent per day for more than three weeks) with the remaining patients.
Steroid therapy was continued during hospitalization because of the underlying indication. The two groups were well matched for age, and there was no difference in mortality. Patients in the steroid group had…