ALDEN, an Algorithm for Assessment of Drug Causality in Stevens–Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: Comparison With Case–Control Analysis

Epidermal necrolysis (EN)--either Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) or toxic EN (TEN)--is a severe drug reaction. We constructed and evaluated a specific algorithm, algorithm of drug causality for EN (ALDEN), in order to improve the individual assessment of drug causality in EN. ALDEN causality scores were compared with those from the French pharmacovigilance method in 100 cases and the case-control results of the EuroSCAR study. Scores attributed by ALDEN segregated widely. ALDEN pointed to a "probable" or "very probable" causality in 69/100 cases as compared to 23/100 with the French method (P < 0.001). It scored "very unlikely" causality for 64% of medications vs. none with the French metho…