In previous studies, we investigated the cytokines in tears of SJS/TEN cases with SOC, and found that in the acute phase, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) were dramatically increased13, while in the chronic phase, there was a significant downregulation of interferon-γ-induced protein 10 (IP-10), as well as upregulation of IL-6, IL-8, eotaxin, and macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta (MIP-1β) compared with the tears of normal control subjects14. This evidence concerns the gene CXCL8 and toxic epidermal necrolysis.