[Lyell's syndrome: a report of 16 cases]

ABSTRACT

Lyell's syndrome [SL] or toxic epidermal necrolysis is a rare mucocutaneous eruption, which is characterised by an acute necrosis of the totality of the epidermis +1-the mucosal epithelium. This is a serious affection considering the severity of systemic manifestations, the unprcdictable evolution, and the absence of specific therapy. To assess epidemiological and clinical features of this condition in our departments. This was a retrospective study concerning the cases of Lyell's syndrome carried in the dermatology and the intensive care department of Parhat Hached hospital over a 26 year period. Results: We listed 12 women and 4 with a mean age of 48,9 years. Epidermal detachmcnt varied between 26 and 80%of the body surface and mucus were involved in 87, 5%of cases. Systemic manifestatinns wcre noted in 11 patients. A drug etiology was found in 875%of cases, half of which was due to antibiotics. Our results are similar to those in the literature. Our study illustrates the severity of this toxiderma with a high mortality rate [43, 75%of cases], conformable with what was predicted by the severity-of-illness score "SCORTEN". Infectious complications wore the principal cause of death