Treatment of oral manifestations of toxic epidermal necrolysis with low-level laser therapy in a pediatric patient

Integrating antimicrobial photodynamic therapy into the adjuvant phototherapeutic approach for orofacial manifestations of toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome

Characterized by an immune reaction to medications, toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and Steven-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) are potentially fatal mucocutaneous reactions, and their management remains challenging. Considering the promising studies regarding the use of laser in managing orofacial lesions, this study aimed to report two cases in which children presenting with TEN and SJS were treated using a combination of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) and photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) concurrently with conventional supportive care. The treatment proposed herein resulted in significant clinical improvement of the children's oral condition within a few days, enabling the reintroduction of oral feeding. Within the limitations of the study, the cases reported suggest that the adjuvant combination of PBMT and aPDT may be beneficial for improving the oral condition of children afflicted with oral injuries induced by TEN and SJS.

Management of Drug-Induced Epidermal Necrolysis (DEN) in Pediatric Patients: Moving from Drug-Induced Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, Overlap and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis to a Single Unifying Diagnosis of DEN

Pediatric Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are rare but life-threating blistering diseases triggered by medications that affect the skin and mucosae. Drug-induced epidermal necrolysis is a better term for medication-triggered cases because there is a spectrum of disease severity that otherwise is divided into the separate entities of SJS, overlap SJS/TEN, and TEN. This manuscript reviews the management of drug-induced epidermal necrolysis (DEN), including diagnosis, investigations to exclude differential diagnoses, and treatment. Diagnosis of DEN relies on clinical features and a detailed medication history. The primary differential diagnosis is reactive infectious mucocutaneous eruption, which can be clinically distinguished by its disproportionate mucous membrane involvement relative to (sparse or absent) skin lesions. Identification and discontinuation of culprit medications is the mainstay of treatment of DEN. Early initiation of immunomodulatory therapy may prevent progression, reducing maximal disease severity and the risk of sequelae. A checklist approach to detailed management of DEN is proposed.

[Low-level laser therapy in oncology - what's new? Analysis of 2018-2021 publications]

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is included in the Federal project «Fight against oncological diseases», which provides for equipping all specialized medical institutions in Russia with the appropriate devices until 2026.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Publications analysis on the use of LLLT in oncology.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

To search for publications, databases and libraries were used: PubMed, Scopus, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, J-STAGE, eLibrary.ru for the period 2018-2021. For analysis, publications were selected that are of interest from the point of view of improving the methodology of LLLT, the prospects for the development of this method in the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of patients. A total of 223 publications were found, including 39 reviews and meta-analyses, mostly in English (165) and Portuguese (41).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The inclusion of LLLT in the ISOO/MASCC/ASCO recommendations for the treatment of complications such as mucositis, salivary gland hypofunction and xerostomia caused by non-surgical methods of treating cancer patients should be considered as a promising trend. An extremely low level of quality of LLLT techniques was noted, most often the replacement with meaningless «doses», «fluences» instead of the necessary parameters: wavelength, operating mode, power, frequency, exposure, etc. The use of only local illumination instead of systemic methods of LLLT does not allow obtaining the best results of treatment and prevention. Eliminating the shortcomings of treatment protocols with a focus on Russian experience, when laser blood illumination (intravenously or externally) and laser acupuncture are also necessarily carried out with local illumination of the lesion, will bring the effectiveness of LLLT to a qualitatively new, higher level.

Treatment for oral lesions in pediatric patients with Stevens-Johnson's syndrome: A case report and literature review

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a disorder forming one of the several severe cutaneous adverse reactions, a group that includes, as well, erythema multiforme, toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and SJS/TEN overlap. These adverse reactions are characterized by their severe involvement of the skin and the oral, gastrointestinal, genital, and conjunctival mucosa. The purposes of the study described herein were to perform a literature review of studies describing the clinical presentations and management of SJS patients with oral manifestations and to present a case report of a patient treated with dapsone gel. The research question for the literature review was the following: For patients with SJS, does adjunctive topical antibiotic treatment provide a better resolution for oral lesions than supportive care does? An online search of studies published from 2000 to 2019 was performed using the following databases: PubMed, BBO, LILACS, the Cochrane Library, and Ovid MEDLINE. Eight case reports were identified that met the inclusion criteria. Most of the articles included information about palliative treatments, such as supragingival cleaning and debridement, and the use of palliative oral rinses and gels, such as 'magic' mouthwash, chlorhexidine 0.12%, and lidocaine 2% gel. The case reported added an innovative treatment consisting of dapsone gel 5%.

Oral management of pemphigus vulgaris in the intensive care unit

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a rare and potentially lethal autoimmune disease that affects the skin and mucous membranes. Injuries caused by the disease cause pain, risk of infection, and other complications that result in a high mortality rate. Frequently, management of the PV requires intensive care and a multidisciplinary approach. Oral lesions of PV are usually the first clinical signs of the disease and the last lesions to heal, requiring treatment by a specialized dental team. The aim of this study was to report two clinical cases of PV with involvement of the oral mucosa. The patients were admitted to an intensive care unit, and underwent multidisciplinary management of their condition along with low-level laser therapy. Both cases demonstrated the importance of specialized dental care in improving the quality of life of patients with PV.