The effects of systemic cyclosporine in acute Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis on ocular disease.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of systemic cyclosporine (CsA) on ocular disease in Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) patients.

METHODS

In this retrospective, comparative cohort study at a single center, patients with a diagnosis of SJS/TEN and with at least 3 months of follow up were divided into two groups: those who received systemic CsA and those who did not receive systemic CsA. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and chronic ocular surface complications score (COCS) at final follow-up were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

The median age and follow-up period of patients was 29 years (range, 1.5-71 years) and 16.8 months (range, 3.67-91.58 months), respectively. BCVA, COCS, meibomian gland dysfunction, limbal stem cell deficiency, and the need for mucous membrane grafting and scleral lenses were not significantly different between patients who received systemic CsA as compared to patients who did not receive systemic CsA.

CONCLUSIONS

In this small cohort of patients with SJS/TEN, we could identify no association between the use of systemic CsA as a component of their initial therapy and chronic ocular complications.