Toxic epidermal necrolysis induced by COVID-19

Duaa Alahmadi; Azhar Ahmed; Esraa Shaheen; Ahmed Ozbuck; Walaa Borhan

doi:10.4081/dr.2024.9853

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a life-threatening acute mucocutaneous syndrome. It is characterized by keratinocyte necrosis and apoptosis, which affect more than 30% of the body’s surface. TEN is most commonly due to an altered immunological response to specific drugs, infections, and malignancies, or it can be idiopathic. The combination of TEN and COVID-19 can have a fatal outcome if not recognized and promptly treated. Therefore, fast reporting of such cases will draw doctors’ attention to quick and right intervention. In this article, we present a 66-year-old patient with a clinical presentation of toxic epidermal necrolysis along with a coexisting COVID-19 infection. To our knowledge, this is the first case of TEN in a patient diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection in Saudi Arabia.

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Alahmadi, D., Ahmed, A., Shaheen, E., Ozbuck, A., & Borhan, W. (2024). Toxic epidermal necrolysis induced by COVID-19. Dermatology Reports, 16(4). https://doi.org/10.4081/dr.2024.9853