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Start free with EleplanToxic epidermal necrolysis
ORPHA:537Clinical subtype
Also called Lyell syndrome
What it is
An extended form of Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis spectrum characterized by destruction and detachment of the skin epithelium, involving 30% or more of the body surface area, and mucous membranes. Onset usually occurs 4-28 days after administration of the causal medication and is most frequently associated with anticonvulsants, antibacterial sulfonamides, allopurinol, nevirapine, and oxicams (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), but many other medications have also been implicated. The disease is not induced by medication in 15% of cases. Histology is characterized by an epidermal necrolysis. Multiple disabling long-term sequelae (especially cutaneous, ocular and psychological) are frequent.
Key facts
- Age of onset
- All ages
- Inheritance
- Not applicable
- Classified as
- Clinical subtype
Recorded for the broader condition
- Prevalence
- 1-9 / 1 000 000 (annual incidence, Taiwan, Province of China)Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis spectrum
Orphanet records these for the broader condition rather than for this specific form. They are a starting point, not a figure for this subtype — subtypes often differ, and some are defined by being rarer than the condition they sit under.
Signs and symptoms
Very common80–99%
11Common30–79%
8These ranges are how often a sign appears across everyone diagnosed, not a prediction for one person — most people have some of these and not others. Orphanet also records findings that are specifically absent in this disease; those are in the data but not listed here.
ICD-10 codes
ICD-10 has no distinct code for most rare diseases, so many are filed under the nearest available one. A shared code identifies the group, not this disease — the ORPHAcode above is what identifies it.
Cross-references
Orphadata Science: Free access data from Orphanet. © INSERM 1999. Data version 2026-06-23. Available under CC BY 4.0. This is a reference, not medical advice.
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