TEN

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a painful, life-threatening skin condition. It causes large areas of blistering and peeling skin on at least 30% of your body, including mucous membranes like the mouth, eyes and genitals. It’s the result of a reaction to certain medications. Widespread damage to the skin can lead to dangerous fluid loss and infections.

TEN, or TEN syndrome, is a rare, severe form of Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS). SJS causes blistering and peeling skin on less than 10% of the body. The two conditions overlap when there is 10% to 30% body coverage.

Who is at risk of getting toxic epidermal necrolysis?

People with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop SJS or TEN. Immune system problems can be the result of:

• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
• Lymphoma.

Genetics may also play a role. Some people cannot normally break down certain medications, which can cause their body to develop Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis. Mutations (changes) to certain genes may make individuals (or ethnic groups) more likely to react to particular medications.

People of any age can get TEN, though it’s more common in older populations.

How common is toxic epidermal necrolysis?

TEN is a rare disease. Together, SJS and TEN affect about 1 million to 2 million people each year.