The overall objective of the guidelines is to provide up-to-date, evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and management of the full spectrum of Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and SJS–TEN overlap in adults during the acute phase of the disease. The document aims to: (i) offer an appraisal of all relevant literature up to February 2016, focusing on any key developments; (ii) address important, practical clinical questions relating to the primary guideline objective, i.e. accurate diagnosis
and identification of cases and suitable treatment; (iii) provide guideline recommendations; and (iv) discuss areas of uncertainty, potential developments and future directions SJS/TEN is rare and few healthcare professionals are confident in the recognition and management of the disorder. There is widely divergent practice among different specialities and healthcare settings, and limited information on outcomes.
These guidelines aim to provide recommendations on the diagnosis and management of SJS/TEN, to inform clinical decision-making and, when justified by evidence, to standardize practice. The breadth of this document should be sufficient to assist clinicians of all relevant specialities in the management of patients with SJS/TEN. The recommendations will also inform pathways of care to optimize healthcare delivery and highlight key areas of uncertainty for future research. In these guidelines, the term SJS/TEN encompasses the full spectrum of the disease, i.e. SJS, TEN and SJS–TEN overlap (see section 7.2 for clinical definition of the separate entities). The guideline is presented as a detailed review with highlighted recommendations for practical use (see section18.0), in addition to the development of a new patient information leaflet [available on the British Association of Dermatologists’ (BAD) website, www.bad.org.uk]. Unless otherwise specified, recommendations apply to all forms of the disease.