Abstract

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are rare yet potentially fatal dermatological emergencies marked by severe mucocutaneous shedding and necrosis. However, the general understanding of TEN and SJS has evolved. This study aimed to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the 50 most cited papers concerning TEN and SJS during a span of fifty years (1968-2021). Data were obtained by the authors from the "Web of Science database" on March 25, 2025. Employing a predefined search protocol, the most frequently cited articles concerning TEN and SJS were identified without applying any temporal restrictions. The selected articles underwent analysis regarding study design, journals, authorship, geographic region, settings, and level of evidence. Additionally, the medications, patients' numbers, and complication frequencies were assessed. The majority of the articles were published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. The USA contributed to 20% of the research, followed by France, Germany, Japan, and Taiwan. The primary outcomes varied from identifying culprit drugs, genetic predisposition, investigating therapies, sample sizes, presence or lack of control categories, treatment regimens, and long-term complications. Most studies originated from single-center investigations and peaked during the 2000s. This analysis emphasizes genetic predisposition and underscores the prevalence of observational studies conducted primarily in single-center settings. However, high-level evidence remains limited. Research originating from the USA has significantly advanced this field.

Key words: Highly cited, publications, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, bibliometric analysis.