- About
- In The News
- Membership
- Patients & Public
- Meetings
- CME
- Sponsors
- Online Learning
Pemphigus |
Pemphigus has several types. Each type looks and acts differently. There are other autoimmune blistering diseases of the skin, such as bullous pemphigoid, bullous lupus, and Hailey-Hailey disease that can be confused with pemphigus. Because this is a complex condition to diagnose, special testing is needed. The three main categories of pemphigus are paraneoplastic pemphigus, pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus. This most serious form of pemphigus is paraneoplastic pemphigus. This occurs most often in someone who has already been diagnosed with an internal malignancy (cancer). Fortunately, it is also the most rare. Painful sores of the mouth, lips and esophagus are almost always present; and skin lesions of different types occur. This disease is usually not responsive to treatment. The diagnosis of this type should prompt doctors to search for a hidden tumor. In some cases the tumor will be benign and the disease will improve if the tumor is surgically removed.
Pemphigus vulgaris usually starts in middle-aged and older adults, but is can occur at any age. Often, pemphigus not the first disease considered. The first line of defense for all forms of pemphigus is the introduction of oral steroids, usually Prednisone. Cytotoxic drugs such as Imuran and Cytoxan are added to reduce the dose and side effects of the steroids. Other drugs used are injectable gold and cyclosporin. Mild disease can sometimes be controlled with topical or intralesional steroids. Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) and dapsone have also have been effective in some cases of pemphigus foliaceus. All of these drugs can have serious side effects. Blood and urinalysis must be monitored on a regular basis. There is some evidence that treatment is easier in the early stages of the disease. Treatment should always be prescribed on the basis of how severe the disease is. There are no reports showing that alternative, homeopathic or herbal treatments help. These usually hurt because the medications that work are stopped until the patient realizes they made a mistake. This same pattern is seen over and over, usually in intelligent and more educated patients.
|
12/4/2019AOCD Grand Rounds
11/11/20192019 Office Holiday Closures
8/27/2019Dr. Delost Named AOF/AOCD Outstanding Resident of the Year in Dermatology
7/19/2019Osteopathic Recognition for ACGME Training
7/19/2019AOA Response to Surprise Billing
7/2/2019Meet the New AOA CEO
4/21/2019Updated Information for Exhibitors
4/18/2019Enhancements coming to disease database
3/20/2019AOA names new CEO
3/3/2019AOA Board Certification Pathway
2/22/2019Changes to AOA Board Certifications
1/16/2019AOA Membership No Longer Required for Board Certification
2/20/2020 » 2/23/2020
2020 Spring Exhibitor Registration
2/20/2020 » 2/23/2020
2020 AOCD Spring New Trends in Dermatology
4/25/2020 » 4/26/2020
AOCD Cosmetic Weekend Workshop
10/8/2020 » 10/11/2020
2020 AOCD Fall New Trends in Dermatology
2/24/2021 » 2/27/2021
2021 AOCD Spring New Trends in Dermatology
10/7/2021 » 10/10/2021
2021 AOCD Fall New Trends in Dermatology