Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Description of an unusual clinical case due to glucocorticoid therapy for oral lichen planus

Erythema multiforme (EM) is an acute inflammatory disease with an autoimmune pathogenesis clinically expressing in a wide variety of mucocutaneous illnesses. It is usually described in a minor form (Von Hebra) characterized by classical cutaneous lesions, and in major form (Stevens-Johnson), involving mucosal damage, while a clinical type restricted to the oral mucosa is described in oral pathology. A considerable number of factors of different nature have been reported as etiologic agents of EM, but most of them are not well documented; however, a certain relationship with EM is recognized for different classes of systemic drugs. This paper describes a case of Stevens-Johnson syndrome with initial oral involvement, in which the precipitating factor was due to the administration of systemic glucocorticoids, prescribed for the therapeutic treatment of an erosive form of oral lichen planus.